A criminal group based in the historic center of Sassari. Sixteen suspects were arrested today, following Operation Replay, charged with possession of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, with the aggravating circumstances of large quantities and sale near schools.
Since the early hours of today, the Carabinieri have been engaged in operations not only in Sassari, but also in the provinces of Catania, Genoa, Lecce, Como, and Caltanissetta.
The investigation, coordinated by the Sassari Public Prosecutor's Office and by prosecutors Giovanni Porcheddu and Giovanni Dore, and conducted since 2023 by the operational section of the Carabinieri Operational and Radiomobile Unit, led to the discovery of a drug dealing center in Sassari Vecchia.
Drug supply through “ovulators”, who hid the substances in the abdominal cavity, using the “body packing” technique.
A turnover of raw materials also occurred via couriers arriving from Rome, Naples, Turin, Milan, and Padua. According to what investigators gathered and verified, the criminal group had become dominant in the city center, controlling drug trafficking, deploying local lookouts and supporters, who were paid with doses of drugs or subjected to physical violence in the event of disputes.
The investigation relied on video surveillance, wiretaps, and wiretaps, as well as observation and shadowing services. All of this led to the identification of several thousand drug transactions worth approximately one million euros and the seizure of over 2.5 kilograms of cocaine, 2.5 kilograms of heroin, and half a kilogram of marijuana.
Ten people have been arrested in flagrante delicto since January 2023, and two have been reported at large for possession of narcotics for the purpose of dealing.
Along with the execution of personal precautionary measures, 45 notices of conclusion of preliminary investigations were served on the suspects. At the same time, the Carabinieri are conducting a total of 30 house searches in the municipalities of Sassari, Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto, Turin, Reggio Emilia, Ceres, Selargius, Foggia, Vigodarzere, San Macario di Samarate, and Rovigo.
During today's Sassari inspections in the historic center, significant sums of money and various types of narcotics were found and seized. Further investigations are underway.
