News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2003
Traffickers
and Mafia Caught in Cocaine Smuggling Operation
During
February 2000, The DEA Rome Country Office (RCO) and Italian counterparts
with the Guardia di Finanza (GDF) initiated an investigation targeting
a maritime cocaine smuggling organization sending multi-ton quantities
of cocaine from South America to Europe. This organization was comprised
of Colombian and Italian nationals belonging to Italian organized crime
including the Pugliese, N'Drangheta and Sicilian Mafia.
During this priority
target investigation, telephone intercepts were conducted in Italy, Greece,
Switzerland and Colombia that led to the seizure of 220 kilograms of cocaine
in Athens in January 2001.
Beginning on May
29, 2003, the investigation culminated in the arrest of thirty-three individuals
in Italy to include fourteen organized crime members in Sicily. All defendants
are charged with international drug trafficking and mafia association.
An additional twenty (20) targets are still being sought in Italy, Greece,
Venezuela and Colombia.
The Athens Country
Office assisted the RCO in this priority target investigation.
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