They were stealing life-saving cancer drugs: gang dismantled with internal accomplices also in Catania.

The members of a criminal gang dismantled by an operation of the carabinieri had specialized in the theft of life-saving anticancer drugs.

The members of a criminal gang had specialized in the theft of life-saving anticancer drugs that was dismantled by an operation of the carabinieri in Naples Vomero between Naples, Catania, and Melito di Napoli.

Ten individuals are under investigation for aggravated theft and receiving stolen goods of life-saving oncological drugs with a haul amounting to several million euros.

The operational base was in Naples, but the thefts and subsequent receiving of the drugs occurred throughout the national territory.

Ten measures were taken: three individuals were incarcerated, three were placed under house arrest with electronic bracelets, and four were required to report to the judicial police.

Naples Vomero between Naples, Catania, and Melito di Napoli. Ten individuals are under investigation for aggravated theft and receiving stolen goods of life-saving oncological drugs with a haul amounting to several million euros. The operational base was in Naples, but the thefts and subsequent receiving of the drugs occurred throughout the national territory. Ten measures were taken: three individuals were incarcerated, three were placed under house arrest with electronic bracelets, and four were required to report to the judicial police.

The investigations, coordinated by the VII section of Urban Security of the Naples prosecutor's office (substitute prosecutor Maurizio De Marco), and conducted from May 2024 to April 2025, began with the analysis of surveillance systems and were subsequently developed through telephone and environmental interceptions, as well as searches and seizures. They allowed for the establishment of the operational capacity of a criminal group specialized in executing thefts from hospital pharmacies located throughout the national territory, the only ones authorized to hold life-saving anticancer drugs.

The modus operandi of the group had refined over time, involving a careful selection of public healthcare facilities targeted, with surveillance and preparation of means (rental cars and dedicated phone lines), which allowed for the execution of thefts through meticulously calculated actions, including the potential disabling of surveillance cameras or breaking down of doors, also relying on confidential information, for example regarding the timing of drug supplies.

The group, organized by two individuals, utilized different accomplices in each operational phase, on a rotating basis, and had connections with a network of receivers that supplied them with a certain continuity.

Four thefts of medications have been reconstructed at the Federico II University Hospital in Naples, committed respectively on May 31, August 18, September 2, and December 10, all in 2024, resulting in an estimated damage to the National Health Service of approximately 3.5 million euros, in three of which a security guard working for one of the contractor companies providing security services is identified as an insider.