The following articles are from the Italian press. The first article is from IL MESSAGGERO, March 3, 2002, a major Italian newspaper with wide circulation. It is translated from the original Italian version which is still featured at the paper's online address. Nocera, Ananda Assisi Promises Meditation: Police Search in the Midst of Pills and Unguents SEARCH OF PRODUCTS IN THE OASIS OF YOGA By Massimo Boccucci   NOCERA UMBRA- Ananda Assisi, a place for the holidays: this what the cooperative is called. It is one of those places that promises peace and quiet, in addition to moral and mental help for physical and mental well being. At Nocera, in Via Montecchio, the advertising says that people can discover their own dimension with spiritual holidays, to search their inner selves with yoga and meditation. This would be done by studying, following modern discoveries publicized in many places, that mix psychological techniques with various preparations. In fact, they are advertising directly and on the internet, pills, capsules, syrups, and unguents as therapy to cure the most disparate physical and mental problems. Ananda Assisi has, however, come under scrutiny of the Gubbio Police, headed by Captain Cosimo Giovanni Petese, whom, together with agents from Perugia, has made a surprise search and inspection of the cooperative. A vast number of items have been seized and sent to the laboratory to analyze what active ingredients they contain and if these are harmful to health. According to the police, these products have been advertised as having medicinal value. The police operation also found that the location where the items were stocked didn't meet with the health standards, nor had been permitted by the local authorities. The names of the person in charge have been brought to the attention of the judicial authority. However, the police inquiry is focusing both to establish the permitted use of the cooperative's building and to understand what local authority is responsible for omitting to take action against this in the past. From the Italian Newspaper- CORRIERE, MARCH 3,2002 Police searches for products sold to cure psychophysical ailments, also via the Internet BLITZ SEARCH BY N.A.S. IN A SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY BY Giovanni Bosi NOCERA UMBRA- Products that do not have any medicinal qualities, but are suggested for healing pschophysical problems, pills, capsules, syrups, and creams, all herbal, as advertised also on the the internet, were seized in a blitz by Gubbio Police and by the Military of Perugia's Counterfeit and Health Department. This happened following an inspection at an association/cooperative in Nocera Umbria that organizes spiritual stays based on yoga and meditiation. At the moment there are no praticular accusations against the cooperative regarding the products advertised as healing, even thought the various pills, creams and similare will be analyzed in a laboratory to make sure that the active ingredients do not constitute a health hazard. At any rate, the police have found some irregularities: during the search, the military found that the location where the products were stocked didn't have the authorization from the health authorities, nor the necessary permits form the city. Therefore, the matter has been forwarded to the judicial authorities against those responsible for the strutures. Further investigation is under way to establish the kind of use permits on the building that the cooperative is using and also to understand why authorities failed to enforce them. It is not known if the investigation was started as a follow-up to complaints people may have filed after using the products, or if it is part of the larger, national investigation on the sale of these kinds of products.
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