PISA - Some 23 people have been arrested in a Carabinieri raid on ‘ndrangheta activity in Tuscany, carried out in conjunction with the Antimafia District Directorate (DDA) of Florence.

  Among those being investigated, according to police sources, are Ledo Gori, the President of Tuscany’s Chief of Staff, and Andrea Pieroni, the former President of the Province of Pisa and current Democratic Party (PD) Regional Councillor, for acts of corruption and association with several businessmen thought to be linked to the ‘ndrangheta. 

  Also under investigation is Giulia Deidda, the Mayor of Santa Croce Sull’Arno in the province of Pisa. She has been accused of corruption, abuse of office and criminal association, in particular, of favouring a criminal group by hiring ‘environmental advisors’ put forward by the consortium Aquarno, an organisation at the centre of this investigation. Deidda is also accused of working as a go-between for politicians and businesses involved in collecting electoral contribution for those politicians supporting specific criminal businesses.

  The main sector of the criminal involvement is tanning, Santa Croce Sull’Arno being well-known for its large leather industry. Gori, according to the prosecutors, acted as an intermediary between the Association of Tanners and the region’s political leaders.

  Gori had allegedly facilitated the Association of Tanners in "granting authorisations and in the omission of regulatory measures, as well as hindering any monitoring by the authorities.” The magistrates describe how Gori was “unconditionally willing to satisfy the leaders” of the Association of Tanners in their “criminal activity.”

  Gori did this in exchange for the Association’s support in keeping Gori in his role of Chief of Staff - an exchange which allegedly also involved a 100,000 euro contract.

  This investigation is part of a wider one conducted by the DDA in Florence into the ‘ndrangheta’s infiltration into Tuscany, including management of drug trafficking, the control of roadworks and the illegal disposal of tannery waste.

  Several leaders of the Santa Croce Tanners Association are also accused using their influence to OK the regional decision to mix highly polluting waste products from tanneries with other loads of refuse material for the use of various regional building projects, including eight tonnes used for the construction of sections of regional road 429, from Empoli to Castelfiorentino.

  The use of this toxis tannery waste, rather than disposing of it properly, is likely to pollute the earth around areas in which it is used. The water purifying company Aquarno is similarly accused of dumping water into the Usciana canal that has not been adequately purified.

  Both local politicians and business leaders are accused of crimes including mafia association, illegal waste trafficking, pollution and the obstruction of checks by administrative and judicial bodies.

  The investigation has seen the equivalent of 20 million euros seized and house raids of over 50 targets in Florence, Pisa, Arezzo, Crotone, Terni and Perugia.

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