'Ndrangheta in Reggio, the rise of the gypsies in the mafia hierarchy: army of 500 men
by Francesco Tiziano - August 14, 2022
The rise of the gypsies in the mafia hierarchy . No one in the Arghillà stronghold can now boast the rank or blazon of the chief (and not even of the lieutenant), but also from the accusations of the "Epicenter" trial , the increasingly consolidated data emerges that nomads are gaining more and more space in the relationships and dynamics of 'Ndrangheta. Among the topics addressed in the long testimony given in the Collegial Court in the "Epicentro" trial, the collaborator of justice Vincenzo "Enzo" Cristiano has reconstructed the weight of the community starting from his personal relationships: "I met in Cocò at a friend's house because of a misunderstanding that money had to be returned to people from Archi, he was in the company of a boy from Archi, whose surname escapes me now, but he was also someone who also frequented Paolo You sketch, and at that moment Cocò and I started talking, let's say, about 'Ndrangheta, and Cocò said to me: "My friend, for now there is disgust around there in Catona", because Gianni was not there Rugolino, they were all inside, it was, I think, the Meta operation ».
The gypsies were fierce and above all numerous: «He told me:“ I have five hundred baptized men of 'Ndrangheta, I make them active when Giovanni Rugolino comes out, first nothing, I retired in good order ”»
The Public Prosecutor's clarification is inevitable: "And first of all, let's go in order: Who is Cocò?". Cristiano: « Cocò is called Cosimo Morelli. I met him a few months before, like that, but only a fleeting introduction, then we were at a friend's house and he was ... well, now I remember the surname, with Scarpelli di Archi, who had come to take 'st' embassy of this man who owed him money, and this friend of mine, the landlord, had been arrested with Morelli's brother, I think his name is Luigi, and there ... on purpose, let's say, we were ... he understood that we were all friends and he let himself go to this talk, which had five hundred men, all, let's say, baptized with the 'Ndrangheta, with Rugolino's permission ».
