The town of Livigno is a ski resort in the Italian Alps, close to the border with Switzerland. But it also attracts tourists in summer, thanks to its natural beauty. Developed trails, eagles and ibexes have made it possible to develop a flourishing tourist activity. And this, in turn, was seen as an opportunity for illicit trafficking. Yesterday morning, March 14, the Sondrio flying brigade applied 12 precautionary measures (6 in prison, 5 under house arrest and an obligation of residence) against subjects of Albanian, Italian and Dominican nationality. They are held responsible for transporting and selling large quantities of cocaine in Livigno. During yesterday's searches, 1,800 grams of this substance were seized, as well as 1,600 grams of hashish and 190 grams of heroin. The operation, called “Apres-Ski”, revealed the presence of the Albanian mafia in the area.
The Internet
The nucleus would have formed around a fugitive wanted for murder, belonging to a mafia clan from Scutari. From which would come many operational weapons, of Albanian nationality, but also Italian and Dominican. The drugs, however, arrived from Brianza, Turin and Brussels. The execution of the precautionary measures took place simultaneously in Livigno and Sondalo, in Turin and Rimini. Also participating in the trade and sale were women who, to avoid arousing suspicion, carried out the sale in front of their children, minors and sometimes newborns. One of them was placed under house arrest. The substance was called “Bresaola” on the telephone and purchases took place in remote areas of the city, often by car.
The fugitive
“Members of Livigno's Albanian families, as well as the local and foreign drug traffickers who served them, all proved to be well integrated into the socio-economic fabric of the country, in a duty-free territory, since they carried professions, even well paid, both in Livigno and in Switzerland”, he explained to Day the director of the Sondrio Flying Squad, Niccolò Battisti. “Due to these apparent conditions of legality, the investigative activity proved to be long and complex: numerous and demanding observation and shadowing services, telematic, environmental and telephone interceptions were necessary.” Investigations began in April 2023, and some pieces are still missing. Like the exact location of the Albanian fugitive: we continue to search for him in Paris, where he resides.