In a large-scale operation against the mafia, police officers in Italy and other countries have caught hundreds of suspects. In the strike against the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, arrest warrants were issued against 334 people, the police said.
Some suspects were found in Germany, Switzerland and Bulgaria, as reported by the Ansa news agency. So far it is unclear where exactly there were arrests. Around 2,500 police officers were involved in the operation, according to the agencies Ansa and Adnkronos. Goods worth a total of 15 million euros were confiscated.
The campaign focused on the Calabrian region of Vibo Valentia, but also extended to many other regions in Italy. The suspects are accused of extortion, murder, money laundering and belonging to a mafia organization.
Operations against the mafia are commonplace in Italy, and in June investigators arrested 126 suspected mafiosi during nationwide campaigns. The current blow to organized crime is exceptionally large. The 'Ndrangheta, which is also active in Germany, is considered the most powerful mafia organization in the international drug trade.
The Camorra, a mafia family that has existed since the 16th century, is also located in the Campania region. It consists of largely autonomous clans that conduct drug and weapons trade, product piracy and extortion, but also illegally dispose of rubbish and infiltrate entire segments of the legal economy.