Police Crackdown on Youth Gangs in Italy Leads to Significant Arrests and Drug Seizures
A recent week-long operation targeting youth gangs across Italy has led to the arrest of 539 individuals, with over 700 kilograms of drugs confiscated, according to the state police on Sunday.
In this extensive operation, more than 1,000 regional agents from 44 provinces collaborated against youth gangs involved in various crimes, including drug trafficking, theft, and extortion, among others.
Of the 539 arrested, there were 492 adults and 47 minors. In addition, a significant number, 791 adults and 163 minors, were reported to authorities for drug and weapon offenses, although they weren’t taken into custody. Some of those arrested even shared videos of their crimes online.
The police inspected various public spaces and assessed over 1,182 facilities, which included 24 shelters for unaccompanied minors. They also investigated 973 social media profiles accused of promoting hatred and physical violence against law enforcement.
The operation resulted in seizing 660 kilograms of cannabinoids, 41 kilograms of cocaine, and 2 kilograms of ketamine. Additionally, nearly 1,000 oxycodone pills and an assortment of other narcotics and psychotropic substances were gathered, alongside several precision scales.
Several valuable items were recovered, including a gold necklace, a mobile phone, and 307,000 euros in cash. The police also confiscated 49 firearms and 87 various weapons.
Overall, the crackdown involved searching over 190,000 individuals in areas known for drug trafficking and other illegal activities at night across Italian cities like Rome, Milan, and Turin.
Notable arrests include two minors—one Italian, one Tunisian—charged in connection with a violent robbery of a woman in Milan last June. Security camera footage captured the chaos, and the police noted that one suspect had even posted about the incident online shortly after it occurred.
In Rome, another group faced arrest for their role in riots near the Colosseum on July 1, which resulted in damage to public areas. Among the seized items were incendiary materials and pepper spray. The disturbances had originally erupted when a group set off fireworks to mark a birthday, causing panic among locals and tourists, and resulting in injuries to two police officers.
Another significant incident in Viareggio, Tuscany, saw four individuals, including two minors, arrested for a brutal assault that left the victim with a broken femur.
