Relatives of 'ndrangheta bosses Patrick and Nicola Assisi, a family originally from the Canavese area, are alleged to have continued the cocaine business following their arrest, taking over the management of trafficking routes from South America to Europe. This is what was reconstructed in Operation 'Eredità' (Heritage), conducted by the Brazilian federal police together with the Carabinieri of the ROS unit in Turin, coordinated by the Turin Prosecutor's Office.
Today in Brazil, eight precautionary custody orders and five searches were carried out against family members and individuals connected to the two bosses. Among them is Paula Simoes, wife of Patrick Assisi.
The measures affected Palhoça, in the state of Santa Catarina, and São Paulo, São Caetano, Santos and Americana.
According to investigators, the new organisation continued to source drugs and manage their transfer to Europe using the contacts and channels already in place before the 2019 arrests.
Investigators believe that family members and trusted individuals maintained relationships with drug suppliers and with operators responsible for the logistical and financial management of the shipments.
At least 11 seizures carried out between 2019 and 2020 are linked to the network, totalling 4.6 tonnes of cocaine.
One of the consignments, of approximately 2.2 tonnes, was already in Brazil when the Assisis were arrested and is believed to have subsequently been moved by the group that had taken over their criminal legacy.
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