The Italian militarized police carried out this Wednesday a major operation throughout the country, in which 500 agents participated, which ended with the arrest of 61 members of the ‘Ndrangheta, the powerful mafia from Calabria, in southern Italy.
Among the 167 people investigated as a result of the operation is Andrea Niglia, former president of the province of Vibo and former mayor of Briatico, in Calabria, for alleged fraud aggravated by the mafia method.
Hundreds of members and collaborators of the ‘Ndrangheta, some of whom were the object of this operation called “Maestrale-Carthago”, are already charged in the context of an ongoing “megatrial”.
Last week, European police had launched a major operation against the ‘Ndrangheta, arresting 132 people on the continent, including in Portugal, as well as in Brazil and Panama, on suspicion of drug and arms trafficking, money laundering and fraud. fiscal.
The investigations of the Italian authorities managed to create “the map of the geography” of the ‘Ndrangheta in the municipalities of Mileto, Filandari, Zungri, Briatico and Cessaniti, with the reconstruction of the roles, tasks and dynamics of the leaders, promoters, organizers . and participants of the mafia associations, detailed the Italian media.
Likewise, the main exponents of the ‘Ndrangheta families in the province of Vibo Valentia ended up arrested in the great operation that began at dawn this Wednesday throughout Italy and which involved arrests in the regions of Calabria, Lazio, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto.
These clans stood out, they add, for their “strong economic and business vocation and for their ability to establish fluid relations with ‘white collar’ workers, politicians and representatives of public administrations.”
According to prosecutors, the various crimes of the ‘Ndrangheta clans’ include not only drug trafficking and possession of weapons, but also vote buying, interference in public tenders, fraud linked to migrant centers or extortion. of funds to companies in the tourism sector.
According to the Public Ministry of Catanzaro, members of the mafia targeted by the operation announced this Wednesday managed to infiltrate the public health system of the city of Vibo Valentia to obtain the management of food contracts for hospitals.
One of the frauds refers to the public management of the reception of immigrants, with the presentation by the ‘Ndrangheta of invoices for non-existent services.
In another example, within a municipal administration, an official “adjusted” the result of a contest for public office to allow the hiring of a director close to the mafia.
Even the producers of the famous Tropea red onions, highly prized in Italy, have been victims of extortion, as have the tourist companies that operate along the Calabrian coast.
The ‘Ndrangheta operate in more than 40 countries in total and their significant influence on the Calabrian economy has made them particularly difficult to eradicate, mainly due to the wealth they have amassed through their criminal activities.
Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi praised Wednesday the operation against “a criminal association with ramifications throughout the national territory.”
Piantedosi also expressed his satisfaction for another operation also carried out in Calabria against a transnational organization dedicated to human trafficking and in which 39 arrest warrants were issued.
Source: TSF
