sentenced to 23 years [notiziediprato.it]

Girls recruited to become high class prostitutes available to wealthy clients. A swirling round of money set up in various hotels in Prato – at least six, all Chinese-run – which pitted two gangs interested in controlling and managing business. Today, Wednesday 31 May, the judge of the preliminary hearings of the court of Prato, Marco Malerba, inflicted a total of 23 years’ imprisonment on the five Chinese defendants who opted for the abbreviated procedure, accused in various ways of exploiting and aiding and abetting prostitution, aiding and abetting stay of illegal immigrants in Italy, extortion.
The highest sentence – 6 years – was pronounced for Zhou Ji Li, called to answer for extortion. Lower sentences for the other Chinese accused of starting the prostitution ring in various hotels in Prato: 5 years and 8 months for Yang Zhonchuan alias Achun (lawyer Bertei), 5 years and 4 months for Cai Xiang Bing alias Hesan the Monk (lawyer Veltri), 4 years and 4 months to Wang Shiyou alias Lao Biao, 1 year and 6 months to Hu Shanshan known as SanZhi (lawyer Bertei). The judge also ordered expulsion from Italy for all, with the exception of Hu Shanshan.
The investigation, coordinated by the then substitutes Gestri and Mocetti, dates back to the summer of 2019 (laws). Six people ended up in prison. The investigations of the Flying Squad which at the time was led by Dr. Aurilia, brought to light a war between gangs for the control of prostitution. A real war with intimidation and extortion. The rival groups competed for the management of girls brought to Italy with a tourist visa and placed in Chinese-run hotels. Luxury prostitution with prices – the investigators explained – which varied between 500 euros for one night and 150 euros for a single performance.
The investigators’ work got underway after a brawl complete with batons and knives in a room of the Wall Art, in viale della Repubblica: on that occasion the police identified seven people and also from the criminal prowess of a couple of them, guessed that they it had been a ‘normal’ argument.
The prosecutor’s office, the day after the arrests, spoke of “particularly serious” facts in a context of illicit economic activities subject to control, even in a violent manner and by individuals specifically called to regulate them”. In fact, the investigators ascertained that the blitz in the hotel room and the pressure put on some members of the rival gang to force them to pay a sort of protection money had seen the participation of well-known people in the Chinese community, with relevant criminal history and precedents heavy sentences.
In the same proceeding also a chapter relating to a fraud on the sale of wine: fraud in the trade of wine, sale of products with misleading signs and receiving stolen goods the charges.
Two people accused of counterfeiting and altering the geographical indications and denominations of wines, passing them off as prized, have been indicted. The bottles, packaged for the purpose, were then sold to the Chinese who in turn resold them at prices higher than the real value of the contents.