Italian justice on Wednesday announced the arrest of 61 suspected members of the Calabrian mafia for crimes ranging from fraud to extortion at the expense of Calabrian onion producers.
This police operation focused on various clans of the ‘Ndrangheta, Italy’s most powerful mafia based in Calabria, the poor region at the toe of the boot.
The investigations targeted 167 people, including 33 already in prison, suspected of involvement in criminal activities in the Calabrian province of Vibo Valentia, Catanzaro prosecutors said in a statement.
Hundreds of members of the ‘Ndrangheta and their collaborators, some of whom were the targets of this operation, are already being charged in an ongoing “maxi trial”.
The investigation highlighted the mafia’s diverse business interests and its ability to nurture relationships with “employee” politicians and government officials, they added.
According to prosecutors, the various crimes committed by the ‘Ndrangheta clans include not only drug trafficking and possession of weapons, but also vote-buying, interfering with public tenders, fraud in connection with centers for migrants and extorting money from companies in the tourism sector.
Altogether, the ‘Ndrangheta operates in more than 40 countries and their significant influence on Calabria’s economy makes their eradication particularly difficult, particularly given the wealth they have amassed through their criminal activities.
According to the Catanzaro prosecutor, members of the mafia who were the subject of the operation published on Wednesday managed to infiltrate the public health system of the city of Vibo Valentia in order to obtain the management of catering contracts for hospitals.
One of the cases of fraud involves the public administration for the reception of migrants, with the ‘Ndrangheta providing bills for non-existent services. Another example: in a local government, a civil servant “adjusted” the results of a selection process for a public position to allow for the hiring of a Mafia-related director.
And even producers of the famous Tropea red onions, highly prized in Italy, have been victims of blackmail, as have tourism companies operating along the Calabrian coast.
The operation announced on Wednesday affected Calabria, Lazio (the region of Rome) and several northern regions: Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto.
Last week, European police launched a major operation against the ‘Ndrangheta, arresting 132 people on the continent, as well as in Brazil and Panama, on suspicion of drug and arms trafficking, money laundering and tax fraud.