Toxic fumes in the Cagliari hinterland: this is how the massive illegal landfill was discovered in Selargius.

It was the fumes and intense miasmas , especially at night , felt in the municipalities of Selargius, Monserrato and Cagliari and reported by citizens, that triggered the “Stop toxic fumes” investigation by the Forestry Corps which led to the discovery of an illegal landfill in Selargius, with four people reported.

Following a complex investigative effort coordinated by the Cagliari Public Prosecutor's Office, an area of approximately 8,000 m2 and three vehicles used for the illicit management and combustion of waste were seized .

The incidents reported by citizens, on a weekly and sometimes even biweekly basis, raised serious concerns among the population about the potential risks associated with the spread of highly harmful substances, including dioxins produced by the combustion of plastic materials.

The issue had also been brought to the attention of the Prefecture of Cagliari.

The investigative activities, carried out by the Sinnai Forestry Station in close collaboration with the Selargius Local Police, have thus allowed us to reconstruct the existence of a complex illegal system dedicated to the collection, management, and illegal disposal of waste, operating in the areas surrounding the Selargius recycling center, in the Su Pezzu Mannu area.

According to the investigations, the system involved the collection of waste from companies and private homes , its disposal in an area used as an illegal landfill , the subsequent selection of recoverable materials – in particular ferrous metals – and, as the final stage of the illicit cycle, the combustion of the residual waste in isolated areas.

The suspects also allegedly adopted numerous measures to evade law enforcement checks. Specifically, waste was delivered using vehicles with concealed or unrecognizable license plates and, in some cases, a vehicle modified to a motorized platform, stripped of its bodywork and any other identifying features.

The investigations also revealed further measures taken to hinder the investigation, including the installation of cameras at strategic points and the use of a dog, presumably trained to act as a sentry to signal the possible arrival of the police.

The investigative activity , developed through observation services, stakeouts, tailing and the use of sophisticated video surveillance systems, allowed the alleged perpetrators to be identified and a significant body of evidence to be gathered, which resulted in the issuance of a precautionary seizure order by the Judicial Authority.

The enforcement phase involved 40 employees from the Cagliari Territorial Forestry Corps and the Selargius Local Police, who cordoned off the area, placed seals, and seized the vehicles.

The four individuals charged were found responsible, to varying degrees, for the crimes of construction and management of an illegal landfill and illegal waste combustion, the latter of which is punishable by up to five years of imprisonment.

Further investigations are currently underway to determine the possible involvement of other individuals, the possible use of minors in the illegal activities, and the existence of possible forms of aiding and abetting or supporting the organization.

The investigation continues under the coordination of the Cagliari Public Prosecutor's Office.

(Unioneonline)