Italy authorities conduct widespread crackdown on illegal waste and assets

Law enforcement agencies across Italy have executed multiple operations targeting environmental crimes and illicit assets. In Calabria, authorities finalized the confiscation of a property valued at 300,000 euros in Isola Capo Rizzuto. The building, consisting of three residential and commercial units, was linked to an individual with criminal ties to the Mannolo cosca and the ‘Malapianta’ investigation. The owner was placed under special surveillance for three years due to significant discrepancies between his declared income and his investments.

Environmental policing has also intensified in several regions. In Sicily, the Coast Guard and the Prosecutor’s Office of Termini Imerese uncovered an illegal waste management system between Bagheria and Casteldaccia, leading to nine denunciations and the seizure of 5,000 square meters of land. Investigators found hazardous materials, including asbestos, car carcasses, and lead batteries. Similarly, in Siracusa, the Provincial Police seized a 400-square-meter illegal dump in the Carancino area containing furniture, plastics, and construction debris.

Other regional actions include the discovery of an illegal mechanical workshop and hazardous waste depot in Civita Castellana, a 2,000-square-meter dump in Vicari, and an illegal kennel operating within a landfill near Caserta, where 16 dogs were rescued. In Dragoni, local officials responded to widespread illegal dumping by installing 24-hour photo traps to monitor peripheral roads.