Chat "Pdb Alert" in Vico Equense: 300 members warned drug dealers of carabinieri presence
In Vico Equense, carabinieri discovered a chat with 300 members used to report checkpoints in real time. Investigations underway into the contents and users of the group.
Secret chat to evade checks: discovered in Vico Equense
Carabinieri in Vico Equense, in the Naples region, have identified a chat used to warn drug buyers of the presence of law enforcement in the area, according to ANSA Cronaca. The group, named "Pdb Alert", had approximately 300 members: lookouts would send messages in real time to potential buyers seeking doses of drugs. According to investigators, the acronym "Pdb" stands for "posti di blocco" (checkpoints).
The discovery began with a routine check. Military personnel stopped a 20-year-old while he was handing over 40 grammes of hashish to a buyer: the drug dealer was arrested, while the buyer was called to the barracks for standard procedures.
While documenting the incident, the buyer's phone received continuous notifications. The persistent buzzing intrigued the investigators, who thus identified messages from the group: the notifications were reporting in real time the position of officers on patrol conducting checks on roads in the area.
Investigations are now focused on the contents of the chat and the identity of users subscribed to the group.
Source: ANSA Cronaca