Carabinieri in Palermo arrested 17 people suspected of the transnational criminal smuggling of migrants and arms trafficking. The criminal organization had contacts with Cosa Nostra, to who it sold arms, but also with the „Albanian paramilitary group, the New KLA“ linked with jihadist circles,“ the Italian media reported. The criminal group had activities in Switzerland, Germany, Macedonia and Kosovo, too.

The same media also cite the details of the investigation that began in December 2016, with the supervision of a Macedonian citizen, Fatmir Latifi, who lived in Bolognetta, in Palermo, along with Giuseppe Giangrosso, suspected of selling arms originating from the „Balkan region“ and money laundering.

It is believed that the whole group also smuggled migrants, but also „recycled gold and diamonds“.

Latifi, on the other hand, was responsible for the smuggling of weapons. He had „short and long barrel weapons, such as a kalashnikovs, bombs – similar to a weapon recently sold to Balkan subjects,“ added the media.

One of the customers, they claim, is sought by Macedonian authorities:
„He is a fighter of the paramilitary group, Nova KLA, the protagonist of the bloody armed attack that took place in 2015 in the Macedonian city of Kumanovo.“

In the meantime, a press briefing was delivered.

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