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In the picturesque countryside of San Cataldo-Ciccorusso, Italy, a horse stud farm has found itself at the centre of a legal storm. The farm, managed by a non-profit sports association, has been accused of numerous irregularities, according to a report by La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno.
The Carabinieri Forestali of the Investigative Police Unit for the Environment (NIPAAF) and the Forestry Unit of Lecce, along with several officials including soldiers of the Corps, personnel from the Technical Office of the Municipality, and the Veterinary Service of the ASL, inspected the facility.
The man accused of building interventions without a permit and landscape authorization is Salvatore Mastrojeni, a 66-year-old legal representative of the association. Mastrojeni is also charged in a criminal proceeding for criminal association finalizing to the offense of fraud against the state.
The farm, located in a zone of significant common interest and subject to a landscape constraint, has seen the construction of several unauthorized structures. These include 34 horse stables, 11 small sheds used to store carriages, a concrete manure pit measuring 14x4.70 meters, three paved pools for horses, a prefabricated kiosk used as a bar, an equipped area for picnics, and playgrounds for children.
In addition to these construction breaches, the farm's sanitation facilities' waste was illegally disposed of in a pit dug into the rock and covered with a ceiling, and there are allegations of unauthorized discharge of sewage.
In response to these serious irregularities, the Carabinieri Forestali have ordered the seizure of all unauthorized structures on the farm. The horses have been moved to areas not affected by the seizure of the unauthorized structures to ensure their well-being.
The legal representative of the sports association has been reported to the Lecce Public Prosecutor's Office. This is not the first time such a case has been reported in the province of Lecce, highlighting the need for stricter adherence to environmental regulations and building permits.
