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Italy: Drug trafficking arrest and WhatsApp scam alert
In Italy, a judge in Sulmona has rejected the request for the release of Patrizia Ciccone, a 53-year-old woman accused of managing a large-scale drug trafficking network. Known as ‘mamma spaccio’, Ciccone is alleged to have organized a group of at least eight people, including her own children, to facilitate drug sales between Sulmona and the Alto Sangro region. Investigators documented 640 transactions between October 2024 and March 2025.
Separately, the Italian State Police have issued an alert regarding a surge in WhatsApp scams. Criminals are compromising user accounts to impersonate friends or family members, using a sense of urgency to trick contacts into sending money via bank transfers or other rapid payment methods. Some attacks may utilize ‘zero-click’ vulnerabilities that do not require user interaction to infect a device.
Entities
Carabinieri · Patrizia Ciccone · Polizia di Stato · Sulmona Court
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The State Police issued an alert regarding a new wave of WhatsApp scams involving compromised accounts. www.romadailynews.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The trafficking network allegedly included at least eight people, including Ciccone's three children and a domestic worker. www.ilgerme.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Cybercriminals use stolen or compromised accounts to contact victims' friends and family to request urgent money transfers. www.romadailynews.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The judge rejected the request for release and easing of precautionary measures for Patrizia Ciccone. www.ilgerme.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Patrizia Ciccone is accused of managing a large drug trafficking network between Sulmona and Alto Sangro. www.ilgerme.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The investigation documented 640 drug sales between October 2024 and March 2025. www.ilgerme.it