" He made the gesture with his hands: I'll twist your head ." The speaker is a resident of Corso Vittorio Emanuele in Sassari, in the lower part of the historic center . The threat described came from one of the many drug dealers who rage between via San Donato and the surrounding streets . "Then he passed very close to me, shouldering a law enforcement officer."

Exactly one week after the State Police raid, the experiences of those who, for years now, have been subjected to a situation that for many is unlivable, are leaking out. " They've started over again ," reports a resident. "Two days ago there was a fight in the middle of the night with drug addicts beaten up because they hadn't paid their debts." There is so much fear and now people look the other way. "I saw a non-EU citizen kick a girl in the middle of the legs because she didn't have money for drugs . She was on the floor and crying. But what can we do? We left her there."

Several say they walk around with pepper spray or a knife : "We have to defend ourselves. We're surrounded." Drug dealing is a known fact, as are the bullying. Less so perhaps the money flow. "You can tell," residents say, "from the banknotes they use when they play dice. Dozens, from 20 to 100 euros, like that, as if they were sweets."

In the testimonies of others, there is confirmation of what was reported in the press conference by the director of the flying squad Michele Mecca on the progressive infiltration of the Nigerian mafia also through the purchase of real estate . «In recent times, in addition to renting, they are buying and one of the people arrested was getting information to buy a house».

Meanwhile, desperation grows, some have locked themselves in their homes for fear of reprisals and see no way out. "I'm selling - adds another resident - actually selling off the apartment. It's a defeat, I know, but is it worth continuing to live like this?"

© Riproduzione riservata