A "criminal group" - made up of Italians and foreigners - specializing in the recovery of copper, aluminum and iron from special waste , stored in illegal landfills and then set on fire, in an illicit and dangerous manner for the environment and health.
The metals were then resold, for an annual turnover that could guarantee up to 200 thousand euros .
This is what the Carabinieri of Villasor and the operational unit of the Sanluri Company discovered, who have carried out an investigation coordinated by the Cagliari Public Prosecutor's Office , which has now led to the denunciation of 18 people .
THE SURVEYED - These are 7 men of Moroccan origin (five of whom are also recipients of a no-stay ordinance in Villasor), 6 Bosnians, 3 of whom are women (also for them the no-home ban has been triggered), and 5 Italians , residents, in addition to Villasor, also in the Municipalities of Cagliari, Quartu, Decimomannu, Uta and Isili , who are accused of environmental crimes connected with the illegal disposal of polluting waste .
"GREEN VILLAS" - The police investigation - called "Green Villas" - began a year ago (but the illegal activity would have begun years earlier), after repeated reports of "thick and black" smoke from nearby fires of the buildings illegally occupied for decades near the industrial center of the former Villasor sugar refinery .
THE INVESTIGATION - "With the prolonged stalking - explain the investigators - and with the technical activities and video analyzes, carried out between 2021 and 2022 by the soldiers of the Sanluri Company, it was discovered that the foreign subjects, now reported, would be which in various ways have become reference points in the area of Southern Sardinia-Medio Campidano and the northern outskirts of Cagliari , for the recovery of iron and copper through disposal and destruction with burning of special waste, with the connivance of Italian citizens, owners or employees of companies operating in the specific sector. In fact, after having accumulated scrap and household goods around the territory, they would have stored them by amassing them in real illegal landfills close to the occupied buildings , to then work and separate the waste materials from iron and copper, then placing on the market and by reselling the product obtained , with the connivance of the Italian subjects and their Cagliari companies, which in part also issued invoices in favor of one of the Moroccan subjects, in possession of a VAT number ".
TOXIC FUMES - "The foreigners - continue the investigators - all not registered in the register of environmental managers, therefore without any legal title, would then have disposed of the residual materials ( plastics, electrical cables, tires, batteries for engines, scrap vehicles and much more ) by starting dangerous fires , generating toxic fumes and polluting agents for the environment ".
THE SEQUESTERS - During the military blitz, two distinct areas (a total of 600 square meters) used by the suspects for the storage, processing and burning of waste were also seized . Also seized 4 vans used for transport.
THE TURNOVER - As mentioned, the turnover was quite profitable: "It has been documented - the investigators underline - that the loads of iron, aluminum and copper sold, on average with loads of 5 tons per week , allowed income for 5 thousand euro each . Therefore it is estimated that in one year, according to the findings that emerged, the illicit activity may have led to the obtaining of about 250 tons of iron , aluminum and copper from the collected waste, for an estimated income of approximately 200 thousand euros ".
The carabinieri of the Compagnia di Sanluri participated in the blitz, with the air support of the 11th NEC of Elmas, and two canine units of the Cagliari Arma.
(Unioneonline / lf)