Italian police confiscated more than €130 million ($140 million) in a raid against the Mafia, the authorities said on Tuesday.
The raid was directed against branches of the criminal organizations ‘Ndrangheta and Camorra, mainly in Rome, which were involved in money laundering, they said.
A total of 18 suspects were detained. More than 50 others are under investigation. They are accused in particular of laundering money from criminal activities, usury and extortion.
More than 500 officers were involved in the operation in Rome and several other Italian cities.
The ‘Ndrangheta from Calabria and the Camorra from Naples, together with the Cosa Nostra from Sicily, have been among Italy’s most powerful criminal groups for decades.
All three organizations have long been active far beyond their former territories, including abroad.
The worldwide turnover of the ‘Ndrangheta alone is estimated at more than €50 billion per year, mainly through the drugs business. (dpa/NAN)
