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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL STRATEGY REPORT, MARCH 1996: ITALY
United States Department of State
Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs
I. Summary
Italy is not a major drug producer, but Italian organized crime groups--
especially the Sicilian Mafia, the Neapolitan Camorra, and the Calabrian
'Ndrangheta--cooperate directly with South American cocaine cartels and
others to facilitate the transit of illicit drugs and the laundering of
ill-gotten proceeds through Italy and the greater European market.
Italy's large financial sector serves as a significant money laundering
center. Drug traffickers use the Italian banking and non-banking
financial systems to launder proceeds from heroin and cocaine drug
activities. Italy's organized crime groups use profits derived from
narcotics trafficking to penetrate the Italian economy and to acquire
assets overseas.
The Government of Italy (GOI) maintains effective precursor chemical
controls.
II. Status of Country
Heroin use in Italy has stabilized with an estimated 150,000 addicts
while cocaine use has dropped in 1995 to about 200,000 users. Crack
cocaine addiction is not a significant problem. A referendum to
legalize marijuana and hashish could come to a vote in 1996; all major
political parties oppose the proposal.
Italy has an established system for identifying, tracing, freezing,
seizing, and forfeiting narcotics-related assets and, in accordance with
the Council of Europe's Directive on Money Laundering, has committed to
share such assets with other member governments.
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 1995
The GOI remained firmly committed to the fight against narcotics
trafficking in 1995. Italy continued its assault on organized crime,
arresting and prosecuting numerous Mafia bosses and seizing over $1.5
billion in assets from organized crime and narcotics traffickers.
Vigorous law enforcement disrupted narcotics trafficking routes
throughout Italy.
Policy Initiatives. Italy continued to develop its teledrug information
sharing system, which currently allows thirteen countries to share
narcotics trafficking data on a real-time basis. Italy provided a
trainer for the US-led International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in
Budapest and committed funds to establish an international law
enforcement and judicial training center in Italy.
Accomplishments. In December 1994, the United States and Italy
announced the completion of Operation "Dinero", an inter-governmental,
anti-money laundering operation targeted at drug traffickers; officials
made numerous arrests and seized assets worth over $50 million.
Law Enforcement Efforts. Established in 1992, the National Anti-Mafia
Directorate has become an increasingly effective instrument in
coordinating organized crime investigations and prosecutions at the
national level. In 1995, law enforcement officials arrested hundreds of
top-echelon Mafia, Camorra, and 'Ndrangheta figures, including Leoluca
Bagarella, one of Italy's most wanted Mafia fugitives.
Corruption. Since 1992, prosecutors have performed widespread
corruption investigations and charged numerous former officials--
including a former Prime Minister and a former Minister of Interior--
with being linked to organized crime. To date, these investigations
have not resulted in convictions of high-level officials for involvement
in illicit drug activities or organized crime.
Agreements and Treaties. Italy is a party to the 1988 UN Convention
Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances;
the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and its 1972 Protocol; and
the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances. The United States
and Italy have an Extradition Treaty and a Mutual Legal Assistance
Treaty. Italy is an active participant in the Financial Action Task
Force (FATF) and has numerous bilateral agreements for the exchange of
information on money laundering. Italy's 1992 comprehensive money
laundering law complies fully with the FATF's forty recommendations and
the EU's money laundering directive. Italy is an active member of the
Dublin Group and serves as its regional chair for Eastern Europe and the
NIS. According to the UN Drug Control Program (UNDCP), Italy pledged
approximately $12.3 million in FY95 contributions to the UNDCP.
Cultivation/Production. There is no cultivation of opium or coca in
Italy. Small amounts of marijuana are grown in southern Italy for
domestic consumption.
Drug Flow/Transit. Italy is a transit point for Southwest Asian heroin
destined for local consumption and other European markets. Law
enforcement efforts and the war in Bosnia have disrupted the "Balkan
Route" through northern Italy, displacing trafficking patterns to the
north and to the south. Cocaine from Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil
arrives in Italy by sea, overland from Spain and France, and by air.
Reduced cocaine seizure levels in 1995 suggest that key Italian law
enforcement successes in 1994 may have forced cocaine traffickers to
diversify their methods. Growing evidence suggests some traffickers
have begun shipping anabolic steroids--not covered by Italian antinarcotics
laws--into the United States.
Demand Reduction. Local governments, especially in Sicily, have devoted
more resources to anti-drug civic action campaigns, in addition to
treatment and prevention programs. In 1995, the Eastern European demand
reduction training center, funded by INL and the United Nations Drug
Control Program (UNDCP), continued to hold workshops at the Casa
Famiglia Rosetta facility in Sicily.
IV. US Policy Initiatives and Programs
Bilateral Cooperation. Italian cooperation with US law enforcement and
counter-narcotics agencies is exemplary. US and Italian law enforcement
authorities continue to perform numerous joint operations against drug
traffickers, money launderers, and organized criminals. Italy and the
United States have advanced their cooperative relationship on a range of
issues including money laundering and extradition. Both sides
characterize their cooperation vis-a-vis extradition and mutual legal
assistance as excellent.
The Road Ahead. The United States will continue to perform joint law
enforcement operations and investigations with Italy that target
international narcotics trafficking networks and organized crime, and to
cooperate diplomatically in multilateral fora. The United States looks
forward to working closely with Italy during its 6-month EU presidency
in 1996 to advance counter-narcotics elements of the New Transatlantic
Agenda signed by President Clinton and European Union leaders in Madrid
in December 1995.
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