An extensive operation against the mafia ‘Ndrangheta revealed drug smuggling from South America. Police are investigating 200 people, of which 97 were issued a warrant.
The Italian police on Wednesday began an extensive operation against the Calabrian mafia ‘Ndrangheta. It investigates 200 suspects, 97 of them were issued a warrant, TASR reports on the basis of AFP report.
According to arrest warrants, people are accused of “importing a large number of cocaine from abroad, especially from Colombia, Brazil and Panama, hidden in containers” on ships. The Italian ANSA agency states that they are also suspected of other crimes, such as blackmail or kidnapping.
Drugs in the port
According to the police, ‘Ndrangheta bribed the port operators in Gioia Tauro, Calabrian, to come to the country of the drug easier. Subsequently, they were delighted to other places. At the same time, mafia families have recovered money from local businesses and infiltrated public administration to obtain confidential information, for example on tender.
According to AFP, it is not clear how many of the 97 people for which the arrest warrant were issued has already been in prison or custody. In 16 cases it was so -called. home prison.
Operations throughout the country
Wednesday’s police interventions focused mainly in the Calabrian city of Reggio Calabria, but they also took place in Rome, Milan, Bologna, Rimini, Verone and Turin.
‘Ndrangheta has a bastion in Calabria, Southhotal and is one of the four main branches of the Italian organized crime. Others are Sicilian Cosa Nostra, Camorra and Sacra Corona Unita from Apulia. For an almost monopoly position in cocaine trading in Europe, ‘Ndrangheta is considered the most powerful and the richest. It is also active in about 40 countries.
