Italian Court Sentences Former Milan Ultras Leader Luca Lucci to 18 Years for Drug Trafficking

The Italian judiciary in Milan has sentenced Luca Lucci, the former leader of AC Milan's Curva Sud ultras group, to 18 years and eight months in prison. The verdict comes after his involvement in leading an international drug trafficking network. Judge Giulia Maschi delivered the ruling during a summary trial involving 23 defendants, with Lucci receiving the harshest penalty among all those implicated in the case.

Investigations revealed that the group, led by Lucci, transported massive quantities of illicit substances between June 2020 and March 2021. This included three tons of hashish, 255 kilograms of marijuana, and 53 kilograms of cocaine. The Milan court acceded to the requests of the public prosecution, represented by prosecutors Leonardo Lesti and Rosario Ferracane, particularly as Lucci was considered the primary orchestrator of these cross-border operations.

Lucci was initially arrested in late September 2024 as part of extensive investigations conducted by Milan's Anti-Mafia Directorate into ultras groups associated with the San Siro stadium. In a related development, the former leader had previously received a 10-year prison sentence in a separate case involving attempted murder, also linked to the same ultras investigations. This highlights the significant legal challenges confronting some prominent figures within the Italian club's fan base.

The sentences issued in this case also encompassed other active members of the network, with one key trafficker receiving a 13-year and six-month prison term. This judicial step underscores the Italian authorities' ongoing efforts to disentangle organized crime from the leadership of football fan associations, particularly following Lucci's pre-trial detention orders for drug trafficking two years before this final verdict.