Interceptions/ The Italian operation revealed the connections of 'Ndragheta' with the building permits granted in Tirana

2024-12-15 12:35:00, Aktualitet Alba Kepi

Interceptions/ The Italian operation revealed the connections of

Operation 'BASSO PROFILO' revealed the corrupt affairs between the Calabrian mafia and the power in Albania. The Court of Appeal decided a few hours ago the sentences, changing those of the Court of First Instance.

The punishments are getting heavier, while the court has handed down 3 centuries sentences for 40 convicts.

The mega operation of the Italian Anti-Mafia executed in 2021 brought to light the corrupt affairs at a high level in Albania and the investments of the Calabrian Ndrangheta mafia in constructions and tenders in the Municipality of Tirana, in the health and entrepreneurship sector.

The Catanzaro Antimafia operation executed in January 2021 brought under arrest and investigation a large number of people, mafia exponents of the Calabrian Ndrangheta mafia clans such as 'Grande Aracri', 'Arena', 'Buonaventura'e Aracri', who operating in Crotone, Isola Capo Rizzo, e Cutro, entrepreneurs, politicians, professionals and public officials.

Their criminal activity had invested in Albania through corrupt links with politicians and state functionaries. In the exclusive voluminous file provided by the journalist Alba Kepi, it documents the meetings between an official of the Guardia di Finanza Italiana (currently retired) and the head of the Albanian Police, an Albanian deputy minister and a secretary of state, to invest in Albania with entrepreneurs related to Calabrian mafia Ndrangheta. The affair for the construction of a multi-storey tower in the center of Tirana is also documented, where 20% of the amount had to be paid to receive the tender.

A few hours ago, the Court of Appeal of Catanzaro gave more serious decisions to 40 people.

Cooperation and participation in mafia activity, corrupt affairs with public officials and entrepreneurs, abuse of office, mafia threat, illegal capital traffic, fiscal fraud to the detriment of the state, computer fraud, tax crime, money laundering, exchange of electoral favors, 'presta nomi' fictitious companies, disclosure of professional secrets are the accusations leveled against the arrestees of the Italian anti-mafia mega-operation coded 'Basso profilo'.

The prince of the Ndrangheta Antonio Gallo, whose company continues to be operative in Albania, has received a sentence of 30 years in prison, the soldier of the Guardia di Financa Ercole Alessandro has been sentenced to 10 years in prison of the 7 years that the first instance of the trial of Glenda Giglio the president requested of the Chamber of Young Entrepreneurs has been sentenced to 7 years in prison while the Court of First Instance requested her release.

The decisions of the Court of Appeal for the 40 persons under accusation, including Albanians:

Henrik Baçi (48 years old) Albanian Niku: 7 years (the Court of First Instance requested 2 years).

Elena Banu (53 years old), Romanian citizen, resident for 3 years and 4 months (the Court of First Instance asked for 3 years and 4 months)

Antonio Santo Bagnato (57 years old): The Court of Appeal requested 6 years and 6 months (the Court of First Instance also requested 6 years and 6 months).

Saverio Brutto (35 years old) 6 years The court of first instance requested his release.

Tommaso Brutto (age 61): 8 years (The Court of First Instance requested his release.)

Maria Rosaria Caliò (55 years old) 3 years and 8 months (the Court of First Instance requested 3 years and 8 months).

Eliodoro Carduçelli (46 years old) 12 years (in the first instance 8 years were requested).

Ilenia Cerenzia (26 years old) with 6 years and the Court of first instance requested 4 years and 5 months).

Nicola Cirillo (57 years old): 2 years and 8 months (the Court of First Instance requested 2 years and 8 months).

Ercole D'Alessandro (age 67): 10 years (the Court of First Instance requested 6 years and 8 months).

Vincenzo De Luca (45 years old): 3 years (the Court of First Instance requested his release).

Antonella Drosi (68 years old), 2 years (the Court of First Instance requested 2 years).

Santo Faldella (40 years old): 5 years (the Court of First Instance requested 4 years and 10 months).

Antonello Formica (age 61) 6 months (Trial Court requested 6 months)

Antonio Gallo (44 years old), born in Sellia Marina: 30 years (the Court of First Instance asked for 30 years).

Francesco Gallo (age 70): 5 years (the Court of First Instance requested 4 years and 2 months).

Glenda Giglio (43 years old): 7 years (the Court of First Instance requested his release).

Umberto Gigliotta (41 years old) 30 years (the Court of First Instance requested 30 years).

Odeta Hasaj (57 years old Albanian): 4 years and 2 months (the Court of First Instance requested 4 years and 2 months).

Giuseppe Lamanna (age 38) 2 years, (Court of first instance requested 2 years)

Andrea Leone (56 years old) 20 years (The court of first instance requested 18 years in prison)

Francesco Lerose (53 years old) 9 years. The court of first instance requested 4 years and 8 months.

Ieso Marinaro (60 years old) 7 years and 6 months. The court of first instance requested 7 years and 2 months.

Giovanni Mazzei (66 years old) 6 years and 4 months. The court of first instance requested 3 years.

Antonio Melino (56 years 4 years old (the Court of First Instance requested his release).

Giuseppe Liberato Paciullo (70 years old): 4 years and 4 months. The Court of First Instance had requested the same.

Daniela Paonessa (48 years old) 7 years and 6 months. The court of first instance had asked for 7 years.

Raffaele Posca (43 years old) 2 years. The court of first instance had requested 2 years.

Andrea Rosa (31 years old) 4 years and 2 months. He had received the same amount in the trial at first instance.

Umberto Rotundo (26 years old) aged 2 years and 2 months. The Court of First Instance had requested the same.

Rolando Russo (40 years old) 3 years and 4 months. The Court of First Instance had requested the same.

Giovanni Servidio (36 years old) 3 years. The Court of First Instance had requested the same.

Maurizio Silipo (65 years old) 3 years and 8 months. The Court of First Instance had requested the same.

Maria Teresa Sinopoli (47 years old) 7 years and 8 months. The Court of First Instance had requested the same.

Rosa Talarico (36 years old) 6 years. The court of first instance had requested 4 years and 6 months

Matteo Tarantino (34 years old) 3 years. The court of first instance had asked for 3 years.

Luca Torcia (33 years old) 3 years. The court of first instance had asked for 2 years and 7 months.

Rosa Torcia (56 years old) 3 years, the Court of First Instance required terms of 3 years and 9 months.

Alberto Zavatta (39 years old) 1 year and 8 months and the first instance trial had requested the same amount

Claudio Zavatta, 67 years old: 1 year and 8 months and the first instance trial had requested the same amount.

The mega operation coded 'Basso profilo' (low profile) has engaged about 370 police forces, of which 200 Italian Antimafia troops, 170 police forces from the Guardia di Finanza and the State Police have executed 50 restraining measures. 35 people have been placed under house arrest, 13 in prison, and 2 people with an obligation to appear. Among them are 7 Albanian citizens, one of whom is female.

This criminal group in cooperation with the Ndrangheta Calabrian mafia was structured on a criminal formula with a systematic tax evasion through fictitious companies and unexceedable financial operations.

For the action of their corrupt activity, they had set up several fictitious companies owned by fake persons, 'preta nomi', Albanian and Italian citizens who were selected by the Calabrian Ndrangheta mafia and who opened and closed non-existent business companies.

It has been documented that the Albanian 'Owners' of the companies have arrived from Durrës to Bari where they were received by the Ndragheti bosses and then escorted to Catanzaro where they were provided with Italian tax Nipt codes. Through the documents signed by the notary, they have become the owners of non-existent companies that served only to launder the money of the Calabrian Ndrangheta mafia.

At the head of this criminal group was the Calabrian entrepreneur Antonio Gallo, known by the nickname 'prince', with close ties to all the Calabrian mafia bosses, devoted to the Ndrangheta's criminal affairs and investments in Albania.

The investigative file over 1,000 pages documents over 266,000 dialogues, environmental and telephone interceptions, 1,800 bank accounts under observation and 388,000 financial operations.

In the exclusive documents obtained by the journalist Alba Kepi, it is revealed that a lieutenant of the Guardia di Finanza, Ercole D'Alesandro, now in retirement served the entrepreneur Antonio Gallo with information on the operations of the Italian police and anti-mafia investigations, providing a job for his son in a company that Antonio Gallo had opened in Albania. The former lieutenant of Guadia di Finanza promised to find the right keys at the Albanian Ministries of Public Administration in order to open entrepreneurial activities.

Entrepreneurial activity in Albania also interested Calabrian politicians and functionaries Tomaso Brutto and Saverio Brutto, father and son. Tomaso Brutto was councilor in the municipality of Cattanzaro and Saverio Brutto councilor in the municipality of Simeri Crichi in the province of Catanzaro.

Tomaso and Saverio Brutto were trying to open in Albania a Brico-type enterprise for the trading of materials for the prevention of accidents with equal shares between them, while the initial amount of the investment would be given entirely by Antonio GALLO.

Their investment agreement in Albania will start on April 14, 2017 after the meeting between the Calabrian politician Tomaso Brutto and the official of the Guardia di Finanza of Catanzaro Ercole D'Alesandro.

From the interceptions of the anti-mafia, the Italian politician Tomasso Brutto felt assured that the financier Ercole was a partner in this affair.

In another interception of the anti-mafia, in the second meeting held between them, on April 24, 2017, the former official of the Guardia di Finanza Ercole D'Alesandro assured that he had good connections with Albania and that in order to do business, bribes had to be paid. 'You have to pay and pay a single person at the level of a single Ministry in one aman...' he says in this conversation.

Their entrepreneurial activity in Albania was inaugurated on June 22, 2017 and the reference point was the son of the official of the Guardia di Finanza Ercole D'Alesandro.

In the surveillance of the Guardia di Finanza, the name of another high exponent of Calabrian politics, Francesco Talarico, regional secretary of the UDC Party (Christian Democratic Union) and balance advisor in the Calabria region, is disclosed.

In a conversation between him and the financier Ercole D'Alesandro, they talk about corruption in Albania.

'corruption is total' they say in conversations with each other, 'business is done without tenders', 'it is enough to give a minister in Albania...'

Their other favorite sector was that of personal protection medical instruments such as masks, gloves, oxygen helmets, etc.

In the chronological course of Antiamfia's documentation, the meeting that the financier Ercole D'Alessandro had with the head of the Albanian State Police, with a deputy minister, with an undersecretary of state for the investments that a Calabrian entrepreneur related to the Ndrina wanted to make in Albania is also evident. Grande Aracri'.

The investigation file sheds light on the role of the Albanian Odeta Hasaj, who in cooperation with the financier Ercole Alessandor conveyed information on police operations and investigations against Albanian and Italian citizens.

Mega-operation 'Basso profilo' led to the seizure of 59 businesses, 45 apartments, 29 luxury vehicles, among which 2 Porsches, 77 bank accounts, 2 credit cards, 1 gold bar, 1 boat, 1 Rolex watch.

The corruption affair exceeded 250 million euros. Antimafia wiretapping

Conversation between entrepreneurs Antonio Gallo, Antionio Speziali entrepreneur in the construction sector, lawyer Claudio Larussa and politicians father and son Tomaso and Saverio Brutto. In the conversation, connections with a person very close to the Albanian prime minister and the mayor of Tirana are alluded to. Claudio Larusa himself claims that he met with the Mayor of Tirana.

The conversation of October 28, 2017 at 9.24 min and 37 sec, duration 5 minutes and 09.

In the note of the Italian anti-mafia written in the investigative file at the head of page number 618 (above) it is written:

Gallo (Antonio) explains to Speziali, Larussa, and Brutti, the way of action in Albania, to get tenders in the public sector, clearly alluding to bribes. The interlocutors reason about possible investments in Albania.

Brutto: And he can get us a connection in Albania, don't joke that you (referring to Antonio Speziali?, any minister or any other you don't miss them..

Speziali: International?... how is Albania... I know this country but...

Gallo:... is in development where place...

Special: ...Albanians steal your glasses too...

Gallo:... it's not like that anymore... it's the mentality because they know that we want to throw it at them, so it's the other way around, we don't see each other well there... however it's a beautiful reality... it's developing it's 60's Italy type... they have to build railways... they have to do a number of things...

Speziali:... they say they want to do... I was supposed to go this Sunday with Claudio but he told me that it is not possible this Sunday and we will go in 15 days..

Gallo: Is this channel NIKU?

Spezaili: Who?

Gallo: I have a good channel there and they want to make a consortium

Speziali: that business channel that has and..

Gallo: I have many... the strongest one is the President of the Fumagalli group there... the oxygen Sol... he knows all the hospitals...

Special: Yes

Gallo: He is Albanian, he is the President of this group there in Albania

Speziali: And you can work in hospitals...

Gallo.. I don't know but he is the President of Sol in Albania.. all the hospitals... he is next to the Prime Minister, next to the Mayor of Tirana... he is an important man..

Speziali: Claudio (Larussa) went there with the Mayor of Tirana..

Gallo: yes, it's gone...

Gross: like a month... a month

Speziali: tell me, in Albania, I really have the plants, but I'm a little skeptical... if we take them and take them, it's fine for me... but not to throw them away... the person should be sent right..

Gallo: a few days ago I was with this Nik through a friend from here.... believe me a close friend

Speziali: son of Ercole (refers to financier Ercole D'Alessandro)

Galli: NO

Spezziali:...they told me about Ercole's son...listen, the whole world knows how it goes...

. ...

Gallo: I knew this Nik, I talked to him...

Speziali.. is he smart?

Gallo: he's smart... but sometimes, sometimes they talk a lot there... and it's good for us to be much more specific... they don't wait for us there..

Speziali:.... I am convinced of this..

Gallo: then I talked to this friend of mine, Nik, who told me that the guy who got three licenses to build in Tirana... has three licenses in his hands and for the 180 million they need to do, he has 10 million

Special: reality..

Gallo: they are looking for financiers, he told me... they find an entrepreneur who is good and the bank finances him... money can be made since 4 million 5 million per meter is sold... half of Tirana...

Special: Apartments...

Gallo: Apartments... this one has three licenses for skyscrapers... this constructor...

Special: 4000 euros no... 2700-2800 euros

Gross: for that god....in the center of Tirana?

Gallo: The new skyscrapers are sold for 3800-4000 euros per meter.. do you know the cost, how much is the real cost? 510 euros...+

Speziali: But if you make something luxurious..

Brutto: can we talk to this guy?

Gallo: if you are in Rome on November 9, he is coming... he is the President of the Sol Group in Albania... oxygen is related to hospitals, to Enel, to all of them... he told me clearly that the tenders they want 20% -shin told me..... but they can pay it they refer to Nik)

Speziali: In Albania... the palace of culture in the square, beautiful...

Gallo: well, there are many barez (from Bari), you know... I believe that the Italians are not waiting for these big constructions

The interception of October 28, 2017 at 9 minutes and 27 seconds. Duration 1 minute.

Entrepreneur Antonio Gallo in company with Calabrian politicians Tomaso e Saverio Brutto.

Antonio Gallo referring to Luciano D'Alessandro says:

Gallo: I took Luciano there... to SOl's (referring to the NIK employee and the meeting documented by the antimafia)

The man (present in the conversation) yes

Gallo: I told him to order the President, the Prime Minister, ... I told him clearly... Luciano was present... give me the ENI tenders and you get 20%...

Gallo: in January and the hospitals ...ok?

The next conversation in the interceptions of the Italian anti-mafia.. Date October 28, 2017 at 9.27 minutes.. duration 4 minutes

The four Italian entrepreneurs, Antonio Gallo, Antonio Speziali, Tomasso Brutto, Saverio Brutto are in a public bar....

The conversation is related to investments in Albania.

Brutto Saverio: there they give you a concession for 10 years and let you extract what you can from the sand... of the river?

Brutto Saverio: they give you a license for 10 years and you can extract whatever you want..

Speziali: I have to go there... to see the place because the construction site is in serious trouble.

Gallo: they work there at night, they don't work during the day..

at night they work on the urban roads and during the day on the new roads... but there the black sewer network, the railway network, the subway... everything... must be built there.

Brutto Saverio: everything..

Speziali: Is Albania an American protectorate today?

Gallo: there's so much work out there

Speziali: It came out of the Russian influence...

Gallo: there is so much work to do, but you have to have connections... you have to go for a ride there and see for yourself...

Interception dated 29/11/2017 at 18.13, duration 5 minutes and 8 seconds.

The conversation takes place in Rome at the office of lawyer Claudio Larussa.

The conversation between the lawyer Claudio Larussa and the entrepreneur Antonio Gallo, the point of reference of the Calabrian Ndrangheta mafia for investments in Albania in relation to affairs with many Calabrian clans.

Claudio Larussa and Antonio Gallo talk about investments in Albania:

Gallo: they don't have funds to do it... they are looking for funds... or someone to cooperate with them... NIK (Albanian not well identified) told me

Larussa: and this is something that belongs to us..

Gallo: that's why I told you that through Nik it's a simple thing (it's like a walk)..

Larusso: does he know Luciano? (refers to Alessandro Luciano Italian entrepreneur in business partnership in Albania with Antonio Gallo: BRUTTO Saverio, D'ALESSANDRO Luciano, Henrik BACI.

Gallo: Yes, I have introduced it..

Larussa: he didn't tell me anything, nobody told me...

Gallo: I won't take you no...

Larussa: I won't take it because if nothing is done, nobody wins anything... it's simple... the same story always,,, everyone wants to win but it has to be done...

Gallo: clearly... here is this one... so we can do... we can do this tender... put me in touch... they want so much... they come inside with us (affair).. .clearly... in partnership..

Gallo:... says that he understood from Nik that the skyscrapers in the center of Tirana are worth 700-750 euros per meter and are sold for 4000-5000 meters.

Gallo: Nik told me that they are these... an Albanian is coming.... he is coming in January and I will present him.... who makes you... sew a tender, he told me... of course you have to give him 20% of him... goodbye and thank you... also contacts with the hospital and others... that's why we have to go see him in January

Larussa.. yes, let's meet her...

Meanwhile, they are talking about the entrepreneur Luciano D'Alessandro, who has started several entrepreneurial activities in Albania through some of his Albanian acquaintances.

Gallo: I have this character.... their problem if they ask,.. but if they have problems to answer themselves, I only deal with mine for others I don't answer... I with NIK is a reliable person. .. that day we went, he explained to me many mechanisms how it works.... it is a consulting company in Italy to reduce costs and he explained to me a series of valuable things for everyone...

Larussa: of course, but in my opinion we have to look at this together... because maybe it won't open right away.

Gallo: well, in January he comes...oh he comes to Rome or we go to Albania together..

Larussoa: it would be the best thing... let's go together because I have the fund to invest in this thing... for IMOBILIAREN I have the English fund, it is actually American based in London... quhert Fortess... ( Fortess Investment GROUP LLC) is owned by Jews, they do these activities..

Gallo: these damn Jews

Larussa: ...oh yes, they also want security... not only guarantees... they want concreteness in the things we tell them..

Gallo there someone is... there's a long way to go... let's go ahead....'