Puglia waste‑trafficking probe ‘Operation Erebus’ exposes illegal dumping network

Investigators uncovered a large‑scale illegal waste‑trafficking scheme that moved roughly 3,500 tonnes of hazardous material from Campania into Puglia. The waste was dumped in protected areas, olive groves, vineyards and abandoned industrial sites across the provinces of Foggia, Barletta‑Andria‑Trani, Bari and others, triggering fires and serious environmental and public‑health risks.

The Carabinieri’s Ecological Operational Unit, coordinated with the Bari Antimafia Directorate, executed “Operation Erebus” on 27 May 2026, issuing 19 precautionary orders. Nineteen individuals faced measures including six house arrests, seven police‑reporting obligations and six one‑year bans on business activity. The probe traced 126 illegal discharge incidents at 64 locations, implicating criminal groups from Cerignola and the Salerno area and bringing sixteen waste‑handling firms under investigation.

Authorities acted after residents reported foul odors and suspicious activity. The operation also involved judicial oversight from the Bari Tribunal and cooperation with national anti‑mafia and anti‑terrorism offices. The illegal dumping has damaged natural reserves such as the Alta Murgia National Park and heightened health concerns for local communities.