Italian Carabinieri chief Luongo lauds Palermo arrests of 22 suspects

General Salvatore Luongo, commander of Italy’s Carabinieri, visited the Palermo provincial headquarters on 13 July 2026 and praised the force’s recent anti‑mafia operation that led to the detention of 22 people suspected of a wave of violence and intimidation in the city. He said the Carabinieri had shown “extraordinary effort” in protecting the community.

On 12 July 2026 a ceremony at the same Giacinto Carini barracks handed five commendations to officers who took part in the “Balteus” investigation. The operation, coordinated with the local anti‑mafia prosecutor’s office, dismantled a criminal network that ran drug‑dealing points, illegal waste trafficking, vehicle theft and extortion schemes across several Palermo districts.