A group of rogue Carabinieri arrested for drug pushing earlier this week had been praised for their work in fighting drug pushing in 2018, source said Friday.
The Piacenza cops received a citation saying they had "distinguished themselves...in he fight against drug pushing".
Six Carabinieri from the barracks were arrested Wednesday on charges of drug pushing, extortion and torture.
Prosecutors said they had acted "like a fully fledged criminal gang", supplying local pushers during the cornavirus lockdown.
A civilian probed in the case said in an intercept that the cops' methods reminded him of the Campania mafia TV hit Gomorra.
The barracks has been impounded and the six suspended from duty.
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