NewsOrganised Crime

Dismantled in Italy the organization of mafia origin called “the Moretti Battery”

Agents of the Spanish National Police and the Italian Carabinieri Corps, in a joint operation, have dismantled a criminal organization of mafia origin called the Moretti Battery.

Two people have been arrested in Italy who, allegedly, operated within the Foggiana Mafia or Fourth Mafia and were mainly dedicated to the control of the Foggia region (Italy) through the use of violence and coercion, as well as drug trafficking, trafficking arms and money laundering. 8 domiciliary searches have been carried out in a coordinated manner in Italy and Spain where various amounts of hashish, cocaine and marijuana have been located, a semiautomatic pistol that had been stolen, more than 35,000 euros in cash, scales and material to cut and make narcotics and numerous mobile devices and documentation of the crimes investigated. The searches carried out in a town in Murcia have been vital to the outcome of the investigation.

Control of the region through the use of violence and threats
The investigation began last December 2019 with the aim of dismantling this organized group. This organization was characterized by dividing itself into batteries – small cells – and dedicating itself to controlling the region through the use of violence and threats. The group also stood out for being in possession of weapons, engaging in drug trafficking, money laundering and the commission of homicides in response to possible rivals who tried to have influence within what they considered their territory.

As a result of the first investigations, the agents were able to identify two other criminal organizations that were in direct contact with the investigated group and that made contributions of money for the purchase of narcotic substance. As an intermediary between these organizations and the acquisition of the drug was one of the main investigated, whose function was to make trips to Spain and Morocco to organize the purchase and subsequent transfer of hashish to Italy.

In one of these trips to our country, the agents belonging to the Italian Carabinieri Corps requested police cooperation to be able to investigate these events. After several steps taken by Spanish researchers, two people were identified in the town of Las Torres de Cotillas (Murcia), in charge of transporting hashish to Italy. Both had a history related to drug trafficking and, thanks to this investigation, it was possible to demonstrate the direct link of the Italian criminal organization with the purchase of narcotic substance in Spain.

During the searches carried out, different types of drugs prepared for sale have been intervened, as well as cash divided into plastic bags in which the type of narcotic substance was specified and which were destined for different members of the criminal organization. The investigation remains open and new arrests are not ruled out in both countries.