Seven arrests in Rome for drug dealing: wheel covers converted into safes and kitchen used as drug laboratory
The State Police have arrested seven drug dealers in Rome, seizing 2 kilograms of narcotics. Among the methods discovered: wheel covers converted into hiding places and a residential property transformed into a laboratory.
Seven arrests in the capital: wheel covers as safes and residential properties transformed into drug laboratories
Seven arrests, approximately two kilograms of narcotics seized and two buyers reported to the Prefect's office: this is the result of recent anti-drug operations conducted by the State Police in Rome, as reported by questure.poliziadistato.it.
The investigation uncovered increasingly sophisticated concealment methods: wheel covers converted into small mobile safes, car seats modified by hand to hide doses, car parks used as quick delivery points and private residential properties set up as veritable "cooking rooms".
San Basilio: the kitchen as a laboratory
In San Basilio, officers discovered that a man — who was supposed to be under house arrest at another residential address — had equipped his own kitchen as a base for the preparation and packaging of drugs. In a pantry space, 500 grammes of crack and cocaine were being kept, along with a complete kit for cutting, weighing and assembling doses. During the searches, approximately 3,000 euros in cash were also seized. The man was arrested for evasion and possession of narcotics for the purpose of dealing.
Wheel cover-safes in the Celio area
A 48-year-old Roman had instead converted the wheel covers of his own car into hidden containers. Inside, 38 packets of cocaine were found, divided into one-hectogramme packages each, ready for delivery. Officers from the Celio Police Station photographed him at the moment he was opening the hiding place to complete an exchange. In addition to his arrest, a report was filed and an administrative notice was sent to the Prefect's office for the buyer caught at the scene.
Tor Pignattara: seats altered to hide crack
In the Tor Pignattara area, patrol vehicles stopped a car whose occupants had modified the seats to create a makeshift hiding place containing dozens of crack doses. For both, arrest followed, along with seizure of the narcotic and smartphones, on which conversations related to managing customer orders were stored.
Flash transactions in a car park and at Ponte Milvio
Another Roman drug dealer was intercepted in a car park used as a quick delivery point, caught immediately after a transaction with cocaine doses hidden in a cigarette packet. In the vehicle, cash of questionable origin and handwritten notes recording the activity were also found.
A similar operation was halted at Ponte Milvio, where officers from the local District stopped a transaction in the street between the driver of a car and a customer. The first, found with 26 doses of cocaine, was placed in custody; the buyer was sanctioned and reported to the Prefect's office.
Half a kilogramme of hashish at Ponte Mammolo
The final arrest took place near Ponte Mammolo metro station, in the city's eastern suburbs. The suspicious movements of a man led officers to stop him: hidden in the waist bag he was carrying were five blocks of hashish totalling half a kilogramme.
All arrests were validated by the Judicial Authority.
It is clarified that the evidence described pertains to the preliminary investigation phase. For those under investigation, the principle of presumption of innocence applies pending a possible definitive determination by an irrevocable conviction judgement.
Source: Google News IT — Crime (it)