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Emergency vehicle of the Italian financial police (symbol image)
Photo: Riccardo Fabi / Pacific Press Agency / IMAGO
The Italian police arrested 202 suspected mafiosi and helpers of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta in a major raid.
This was announced by the financial police after the access.
Those arrested are accused, among other things, of membership in a mafia organization, drug trafficking, betting fraud and money laundering.
The center of the raid was the city of Cosenza in Calabria in the south of the country.
The Carabinieri, the Polizia di Stato and the financial police as well as anti-mafia special forces were involved.
Property confiscated
According to media reports, those arrested included not only well-known mafiosi but also entrepreneurs and politicians, including a mayor and some high-ranking local officials.
In addition, according to the information, real estate and objects worth more than 72 million euros were secured and confiscated.
The 'Ndrangheta, based in Calabria, is one of the major Italian mafia organizations and is considered to be internationally dominant in the drug trade.
wit/dpa