Translated automatically by AI from the Italian original.
CALTANISSETTA – A drug trafficking network spanning the provinces of Caltanissetta and Catania, driven by ruthless criminal dynamics that began with unpaid drug debts and escalated into a double attempted murder with gunshots. The Carabinieri of the Caltanissetta Provincial Command, supported by territorial units, executed a precautionary custody order issued by the preliminary investigations judge of the Court at the request of the District Anti-Mafia Directorate, targeting a total of 11 people.
The overall outcome of the measure includes five people under investigation placed under house arrest, four subject to an order not to leave their municipality of residence, one banned from residing in a specific area, and another required to report to the judicial police. One of the individuals targeted by the measure is currently untraceable and is actively being sought. One of those under investigation is also accused of extortion.
From the 2025 shooting to the DDA raid
The investigation, conducted by the Investigative Unit, traces its origins to a bloody armed attack on 10 September 2025 in Riesi, where two brothers were targeted in a shooting stemming from the drug trafficking circuit. On that occasion, one of the brothers was seriously injured in the back, while one of the attackers was hit in the shoulder by a stray bullet (friendly fire). Ten days later, on 20 September 2025, the alleged perpetrators of the ambush were already subject to restrictive measures in prison.
The investigations, which continued uninterrupted for about six months until March 2026, allowed authorities to reconstruct the criminal structure of two groups linked by close family and business ties, engaged in the systematic management of local drug dealing spots.
The clans’ structure: from Riesi to supply channels in Mount Etna and Gela
According to investigators, the operational map was divided into two main levels:
- The Riesi group: deeply rooted in the area and initially coordinated by two brothers, it directly managed the dealing spot, collections and the common cash fund. Following the arrest of the leaders, the organisation quickly replaced the top roles to ensure continuity in the supply chain and external contacts.
- The supply network: served as a stable channel for importing large quantities of hashish and cocaine. Gela was the logistical hub for wholesale supplies, while in the Mount Etna area (Catania), key contacts were tasked with ensuring regular cocaine flows.
Extortion, SIM cards in others’ names and a turnover of €8,000 a week
Internal friction within the group—fuelled by the failure to settle previous supply debts owed to the Gela-based chain—allegedly triggered the spiral of violence that culminated in the September shooting. In October 2025, a local dealer was reportedly forced to hand over his car as partial collateral for his accumulated debt, leading to extortion charges.
To evade law enforcement, the associates used sophisticated technological measures: dozens of SIM cards registered to foreign nationals or nominees, dedicated service lines and strictly coded language to refer to drugs. Payments often occurred via digital means, while doses were handed over directly in one of the suspect’s apartments or inside the buyer’s car parked outside the residence.
In total, the charges include 633 instances of possession and dealing, with an estimated turnover of around €8,000 per week and a loyal customer base of approximately 200 identified buyers. During the verification phase of the investigation, the Carabinieri had already made arrests in the act, including a courier detained while returning from Catania with 150 grams of cocaine and a 100-gram block of hashish, seizing a total of 1.484 kilograms of hashish and 150 grams of cocaine.
