'Ndrangheta, weapons of war and drugs traveling from South America: 20 arrests between Rosarno and Genoa
From Iacchite-April 3, 2024

There is the 'ndrangheta in the international trafficking network of weapons, including war weapons, and drugs which led to the arrest of twenty-two people in prison, investigated in the operation, called Cook, conducted by the ROS carabinieri with the support of the carabinieri of Genoa, together with colleagues from Como and Reggio Calabria. The activity is the result of judicial and police cooperation ensured at European level by Eurojust and Europol.

“They imported large quantities of cocaine from Latin America, which was loaded onto ships bound for the port of Genoa – highlights the Genoa prosecutor Nicola Piacente, of the Public Prosecutor's Office, District Anti-Mafia Directorate – and, once recovered, thanks to the illicit collaboration of workers working in the city ports, then resold. They recovered loads of drugs destined for other criminal organizations, thanks to the possibility of the association to ensure these services, and were rewarded with a variable percentage (in money or cocaine), but around 20% of the imported product or with a sum equivalent, as compensation for the recovery of the cargo at the port.

“The association was directed by Gabriele Puleo – explains the Prosecutor – who had a network of contacts with South American drug trafficking organisations. The investigation is an offshoot of the 2015 operation which involved Giuseppe Bellocco, son of the boss Gregorio Bellocco of the 'ndrina of the same name in Rosarno. In addition to him, Gabriele Puleo and Igor Cerasa were arrested for the importation of 150 kilos of cocaine from South America. Those arrested had access to common weapons but also war machine guns."

“Gabriele Puleo, in fact, even after his arrest – informs the prosecutor – which took place on 7 October 2015 following the seizure of a significant quantity of cocaine (while he was trying to recover a load of 147,970 kg of cocaine, in competition with the fugitive Giuseppe Bellocco), despite being detained, he communicated with the other associates (among them Marco Cuoco, Vincenzo Puleo) by means of cryptophones or homemade encrypted communication systems, continuing to organize and finance the importation of new loads of cocaine from Colombia and the Dominican Republic, and destined for Italy, via the port of Genoa, Paris airport, Amsterdam airport.