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33 precautionary measures, including 18 arrests in prison, 6 under house arrest and 9 obligations to report to the judicial police
18 people in prison, 6 under house arrest, 9 with the obligation to report to the judicial police. 33 precautionary measures issued by the judge of the Messina Court, at the request of the Messina District Anti-Mafia Prosecutor’s Office, and carried out tonight by the Carabinieri of the Messina Provincial Command, for the crimes of mafia association, clandestine horse races, clandestine gambling in unauthorized sports competitions, animal abuse, fraudulent transfer of securities, extortion, association directed at illicit drug trafficking, drug dealing.
Association of Mafias and Underground Horse Racing
Operation Cesare, this is the name chosen, was born from the investigations of the carabinieri of the investigation nucleus of the Messina provincial command. At the center is the Galli clan, a Giostra mafia family from Messina, historically headed by Luigi Galli, 64, who has been incarcerated for years at 41 bis, in a “hard prison”.
Thanks also to the statements of a collaborator of the justice system, another seven affiliates of the Galli clan were identified, who were charged with the crime of participation in a mafia association, and the operation with the mafia method in the organization of clandestine horse races and in the handling of related illegal gambling, whose proceeds fed the coffers of the criminal association. A criminal sector that has always been the prerogative of Messina’s organized crime, as has been proven in the past in various investigations.
The role of Giuseppe Irrera
A prominent representative of the clan was the greengrocer Giuseppe Irrera, son-in-law of Luigi Galli. With his associates he organized clandestine horse races, obtaining large profits with illicit bets. The operational base was the Irrera fruit and vegetable store, in Giostra, where the meetings were held to organize the contests.
Francesco Vento, Grazia Maria Munnia, Salvatore Vecchio and Giuseppe Galli were in charge of caring for, training and grooming the horses and, thanks to an obedient veterinarian, the illicit administration of performance-enhancing drugs, as well as collecting the money wagered on bettors and manage subsequent payouts.
The underground races in Messina took place at night, in a few minutes, especially in Viale Giostra but also on other roads, quickly closed to the traffic of groups of young people on mopeds, to allow the passage of buggies and slow down any intervention. police.
Relations with the Santapaola clan of Catania
But there were also races in the area of Fiumefreddo di Sicilia, in the province of Catania, on the border with the province of Messina. Thus, the investigations revealed the relationships between the Galli clan and Sebastiano Grillo of Catania for the organization of horse races between the Messina and Catania stables, through discussions with exponents of the Santapaola clan of Catania for the resolution of disputes over the management of the winnings of the bet.
In one case, Irrera meets members of the Santapaola clan because she considers a rigged race for a team from Catania. When watching some videos, Irrera realized that some young people on a moped had favored the rival concert, so he did not want to pay for the lost mail and demanded the repetition of the race. Claim accepted by the people of Catania, after clarifying meetings with the “Santapaoliani”.
Fictitious registration of assets, seizure of 2 million euros
Irrera is also being investigated for fraudulent transfer of securities for having fictitiously registered in the name of a nominee a real estate company and the shares of a company that owns a well-known wine shop in the center of Messina. The two companies and the assets of the related company, for a total value of approximately 2 million euros, therefore, they were subjected to the preventive seizure carried out this morning.
Drug dealing
They also arrested many people who were involved in the distribution of drugs in Messina. The crime of association for drug trafficking purposes is being challenged against 11 suspects from two criminal groups.
First It was run by Carlo Altavilla and operated in Giostra and Santa Lucia sopra Contesse, sourcing large quantities of cocaine and marijuana in Calabria and Campania, and then retailing them through a network of drug traffickers. The drug was also sold at a barbershop run by two associates. And for credit recovery there were extortions.
The second The group was identified thanks to the survey “Family Affairs”, a family company that sold cocaine, hashish and marijuana to Fondo Fucile and Aldisio.
The drug delivered by a 12 year old boy
To avoid police checks, a woman had her 12-year-old son deliver the drug, which has now been placed in a family community, as decided by the Messina Juvenile Court.
Arrests in prison
- ALTAVILLA Carlo, 34enne from Messina;
- GALLI Giuseppe, 37enne from Messina;
- CRICKET Sebastiano, 38enne from Catania;
- IRRERA Jose, 42 years of Messina;
- LONGO Giuseppe, 31enne from Messina;
- MARINO Giuseppe, 34enne from Messina;
- MUNNIA Grace Mary, 33enne from Messina;
- PALERMO Alessio, 26enne from Messina;
- PALERMO Carlo, 35enne from Messina;
- PALERMO Roberto, 32enne from Messina;
- RIGANO Christmas, 39enne from Messina;
- OLD Salvatore, 63enne from Messina;
- WIND Francesco, 30enne from Messina;
- CANEPA Paolo, 57 years old from Gela but resident in Messina:
- JACOB Thomas, 68 years of Messina;
- GIACOBE Rosina, 46 years old, from Messina;
- LEONARDI Giuseppa, 64 years of Messina;
- FROM STEFANO Santino, 45 years from Messina
house arrest
- BONASERA Angelo 55enne from Messina (currently detained for another cause);
- SPADARO Francesco, 41enne from Messina;
- SPECIAL Salvatore, 61 years old from Palermo;
- JACOB Thomas, 20 years of Messina;
- VILLARI Lucia, 32 years of Messina;
- LISA Cristina, 39 years of Messina;
Obligation to inform the judicial police
- ARRIGO Paolo, 30enne from Messina;
- FORAMI Francesco, 35enne from Messina;
- CAT Paul, 23enne from Messina (currently detained for another cause);
- GIANNINO Santo, 41enne from Messina;
- MISA Vincenzo, 35 years old from Messina (currently detained for another cause);
- VINCI Luigi, 36 years old from Messina;
- D’ANGELO Roberto, 42 years of Messina
- SCIVOLONE Paolo, 47 years oldMessina year
- PARISI Angel, 47 years old from Milan, but living in Messina
