Ex-public property official probed

(ANSA) - Gorizia, July 13 - Finance police on Wednesday concluded a probe against a former public property official and six businessmen on charges of corruption, bid-tampering and aggravated fraud against the State.
    The suspects operated in the northeastern Friuli-Venezia Giulia region and allegedly colluded to steer nine contracts worth over 700,000 euros. The former public official has reportedly admitted to receiving at least 50,000 euros from two of the businessmen.
    Four are Italian nationals and two are Romanian, investigators said.
    The contracts included purchases of tons of metal at discount prices, the purchase of the former Geophysical Observatory in the city of Trieste, and the dismantling of a warehouse at Trieste port, among others.