EBOLI – To win a battle, you need allies. The best “accomplices” of the police are mountain lovers or runners along rivers. The “tip” comes from them. They knock at the barracks, introduce themselves and tell what they found. Investigations often start like this. There is the “researcher” of mushrooms or asparagus, the one willing to challenge chasms, climbs and breathtaking descents. If he comes across a plantation, he is able to break his neck to understand what it is and to reveal the “discovery” to the carabinieri or the financial police. Then there is the dog breeder, the one who frequents inaccessible areas to train his purebred animal. And finally, there is the trekking or mountain bike enthusiast.
In the woods. Years ago, a luxuriant plantation was discovered in the wood of Postiglione, at the foot of the Alburni mountains (known as the “Southern Dolomites”). It was three meters high. The carabinieri waited for the pusher to arrive, belly to the ground, for four days and four nights. They waited for the fleeting moment, immersed in nature. Hidden in the open, between the sounds of unknown animals and complicated circus positions.
The first rule. To discover an Indian hemp plantation, you need to find a waterway. This is confirmed by the most consistent blitzes along the Sele, Calore and Tenza rivers. Finding water, however, is not enough. It is necessary to climb along impervious paths, follow dangerous mule tracks, walk for several kilometers among brambles and thorns, among ancient trees and spectacular scenery. «Years ago – says an investigator – some colleagues made an inspection with an order car. That is a serious mistake. The rumors of the patrol immediately reached the farmers. The plantation was abandoned. They lost a big deal but no one discovered their identity. “
The generators. Once the seeds have been planted, after finding the water, the pushers have to fix the generators. Those that at night, once turned on, allow the plants to be watered. The water drained from the river is collected in a couple of tanks. The plant is checked every two nights by a single person. Recently, for this job, foreigners have been hunted. The woods are the best hiding places, until a “nosy” walker notices the plantation and reveals everything to investigators. But the bulk of the plantation takes place “outside”, in the open air.
Analyzes. Reeds, trees and wonders of nature. There are countless “tools” to hide the Indian hemp plantation. Discovering cultivation is not always a guarantee of a brilliant operation. The plants must be seized and subjected to laboratory analysis. The feedback on the active ingredient reveals everything. If it was a front page blitz or a flop to tell the grandchildren, in a low voice, to have a laugh on the sofa. Sometimes some investigators have announced the “discovery” to reporters. Smashing the rest of the investigation. It takes patience and a clinical eye. But also a lot of confidentiality. Sometimes carabinieri and financiers turn into Indiana Jones emulators to reach state-owned land next to a river, risking the neck bone to seize a plantation. And there they remain, with no telephone line and no connections with family members at home. Until the grower shows up.
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