Italian Carabinieri seize illegal landfill and water‑contamination sites

The Carabinieri’s environmental enforcement units carried out two major seizures in Italy. In the province of Ragusa, Sicily, they confiscated an 80,000‑square‑metre illegal landfill near Scicli and Donnalucata, containing more than 1,250 cubic metres of mixed waste, including construction debris, metal, plastic and urban refuse. The 42‑year‑old landowner was referred to the Iblean judiciary for violations of environmental regulations.

In Campania, the Carabinieri Forestal Nucleus of Serino, working with local police, investigated a leather‑tanning firm in Solofra. They found that the company was using water from an on‑site well contaminated with tetrachloroethene without proper treatment. The well, related equipment, and the firm’s sole administrator were seized, and the administrator was charged with failing to remediate the site and omitting a risk‑assessment document. The operations are part of ongoing efforts to protect the Sarno river and local communities from pollution.