Pubdate: Thu, 23 Mar 2006
Source: Advertiser, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2006 Advertiser Newspapers Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theadvertiser.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1
Author: Colin James
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

WARRANTS FOR 'COCAINE SMUGGLERS'

ITALIAN anti-Mafia investigators have issued arrest warrants for four
South Australian men allegedly involved in an international cocaine
smuggling ring.

A Calabrian court has heard the men imported one of Australia's
biggest cocaine shipments through Port Adelaide in April, 2000,
triggering a four-year investigation over three continents.

The investigation followed the arrest of Adelaide businessman
Pietroantonio Cerullo in August, 2000, and culminated with further
arrests in January, 2004, of more than 150 people, most in Italy.

As part of the investigation, Codenamed Operation Decollo, the
Australian Federal Police raided 15 properties - six in Adelaide,
eight in Melbourne and one in Mildura.

Documents and computers were seized, but no arrests were
made.

Further investigations by the AFP and the Italian Carbineri have led
to the identification of the four SA men, including Cerullo.

The 62-year-old is named on the Calabrian arrest warrants as one of
four Adelaide men wanted by the Italian anti-Mafia taskforce.

The other three are a 48-year-old from Fitzroy, a 41-year-old from
Somerton Park and a 40-year-old, also from Somerton Park.

Cerullo is serving a 20-year sentence after being caught with 317kg of
cocaine hidden in Columbian marble slabs at his Prospect home and
$300,000 in cash.

Covert investigations into Cerullo discovered connections between
Adelaide and Melbourne-based criminals and an Italian organised crime
group based in Calabria.

Police established the Mafia group had agreed to use contacts in
Colombia to obtain cocaine the Australians allegedly intended importing.

A Carabinieri intelligence document revealed the Calabrian gang was
trafficking vast amounts of cocaine between South America and other
countries. The document identified 11 known shipments organised by the
gang to ports including Port Adelaide and Melbourne.

The gang is believed to have moved 13.3 tonnes of cocaine from
Columbia between 2000 and 2005. More than 400kg of that reached
Australia, including Cerullo's. 
- ---
MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPF Florida)