Two pre-trial custody orders and several searches carried out across the provinces of Rimini, Rome and Pesaro-Urbino. In the early hours of this morning, Riccione’s carabinieri launched an operation against an alleged cocaine trafficking ring that investigators traced back to the Cattolica coastline. One of the suspects targeted by the measures also faces charges of illegal possession and receiving of a clandestine firearm.
The investigation began in April 2025, following initial evidence of drug dealing along the coast. Through surveillance, observation and technical inquiries, officers from Riccione’s operational unit reconstructed the links between a group of individuals of Albanian origin who, according to investigators, ran an extensive network for sourcing and selling cocaine.
Carabinieri tracked the movement of the drugs, the methods used in the exchanges and the relationships with buyers. They also identified bases used to store and package the cocaine, scattered across several locations.
During the course of the investigation, operations on the ground led to the arrest of eight people caught in the act. Across different times and places, authorities seized a total of more than two kilograms of cocaine and 3,000 euros in cash. In December 2025, a Beretta 7.65-calibre pistol with its serial number filed off was also recovered, along with ammunition.
The overall outcome of the investigation stands at 19 people reported to the judicial authorities while remaining at liberty, and 36 alleged offences. This morning’s operation also involved local command units from the areas concerned, along with the 13th carabinieri helicopter unit from Forlì. The charges will need to be confirmed during the course of proceedings: all those under investigation are presumed innocent until a definitive conviction, if any.
