4 suspects in drug trafficking and underground gambling in Syracuse remain in custody

Last Updated: March 11, 2024

Traffico di droga e bische clandestine a Siracusa, restano in carcere i 4 indagati

Four alleged members of the Borgata group associated with the Bottaro-Attanasio mafia clan, who are believed to have been involved in drug trafficking, managing illegal gambling dens, and using weapons in Syracuse, will remain in prison. The decision was made by Judge Francesco Alligo, who upheld the requests of Deputy Prosecutor Sebastiano Ardita and Deputy Fabrizio Aliotta of the Anti-Mafia District Directorate (DDA) in Catania, to validate the arrests carried out by the police on March 5th and order the detention of Giuseppe Guarino, 41 years old, Steven Curcio, 21, Corrado Piazzese, 46, and Luigi Scollo, 45.

The judge issued a detention order in prison for them, accusing them of mafia association aimed at drug trafficking, acquiring control of economic and entrepreneurial activities, and influencing institutions and public administration. The judge cited the risk of flight of the detainees and declared himself incompetent for the crimes committed by the four suspects, transferring the case to the DDA in Catania, which will then send the documents to the natural judge of the investigation in the city of Catania.

Guarino, the leader of the group, allegedly received his appointment from Alessio Attanasio. According to the Anti-Mafia District Directorate in Catania, the group provided “family assistance to prisoners, payment of salaries to allies, mutual assistance with other criminal organizations, activism of allies in prisons, and even recruiting members from opposing clans into the Borgata group.”

Investigators believe that the availability of weapons and properties to hide them allowed the group to “increase their intimidating power and assert their dominance over the territory when necessary.”

Several incidents emerged from the investigations carried out by the Mobile Squad of the Syracuse Police, coordinated by the DDA in Catania, including a punitive expedition against a resident of Syracuse last month, where gunshots were fired at his home due to a dispute over a previous debt with one of the group’s members.