Finance police said Tuesday they
have closed an airplane parts and drug trafficking investigation
into three Air Force officers, one of whom was arrested last
year.
In Italy, the announcement of the closure of an
investigation is usually a prelude to an indictment.
The officers might now face charges of racketeering with
intent to embezzle military equipment.
A total of 14 suspects were investigated, nine of them
arrested.
The racketeers trafficked air force parts, both mechanic
and electronic, on what investigators say is a "parallel
market".
A civil aviation employee who acted as a broker was among
those arrested after he was caught red-handed receiving stolen
airplane parts from the arrested Air Force marshal at Rome's
Ciampino airport.
The operation led to the seizure of two containers
containing airplane parts, and, separately, of 3.5 kilos of
cocaine, 2.3 kilos of marijuana, 253 grams of hashish, 500
ecstasy pills, 17,000 Swiss francs, for cars, and a revolver.
The drugs were smuggled into Italy from Portugal for resale
in Lombardy and Switzerland, police said.
Further airplane parts were found stashed away in the
offices and homes of another two officers.
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