“Morisi has been entered in the register of suspects for the alleged transfer of narcotic substances,” Verona’s public prosecutor, Angela Barbaglio, told Italian news agency ANSA.
“The nature of this [offense] is still awaiting the outcome of an investigation.”
After a search of Morisi’s house, small samples of drugs were found, and mobile phones were seized, according to Italian media.
Morisi last week left his post as the head of League leader Matteo Salvini’s social media communication, citing “personal issues”.
In a statement shared by the League, Morisi said he had not committed any crime, but apologised to Salvini, the party, his family and colleagues for his “weakness and mistakes”.
He said that the story represented “a serious fall as a man”.
“It is a very painful moment in my life,” he added.
“It reveals unresolved existential fragilities to which I need to devote all the time I can in the near future.”
In a post on Facebook, Salvini said Morisi had “hurt himself more than others”.
“When a friend makes a mistake and makes a mistake you don’t expect ... first you get angry with him and very angry,” Salvini added.
“But then you reach out your hand to help him up.
“Friendship and loyalty for me are life.”
Salvini, who was Italy’s deputy prime minister and interior minister between June 2018 and August 2019, has openly declared war against drug dealers in the past.
Most of his anti-drug rhetoric has been directed at immigrants, who are often demonised as drug dealers across his social media accounts.
Salvini was slammed during last year’s regional election campaign in Emilia-Romagna, after ringing the doorbell of a Tunisian family and asking over the intercom if they dealt drugs, with the stunt being streamed live to his social media followers.
Morisi’s departure from the League comes ahead of local elections in several major cities – including Rome, Milan, Turin, and Naples – next Sunday.
