Graphic shows Italian organised crime groups and details of police raids.
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ITALY

Scores arrested in crackdown on Italian cocaine trafficking gang

By Mike Tyler

December 6, 2018 - Dozens of suspected members of Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta organised crime syndicate have been arrested in a series of carefully coordinated police raids across Europe and in Latin America.

European officials announced the arrests at the Hague headquarters of Eurojust, the European Union prosecutors agency set up to bolster the fight against cross-border crime in the 28-nation bloc. Eurojust and EU police agency Europol coordinated the raids.

As well as arresting dozens of suspected mobsters in Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, police seized drugs and around 2 million euros ($2.3 million), according to the Associated Press.

Wednesday’s raids were the culmination of a two-year investigation codenamed Pollino against the powerful ’Ndrangheta criminal group on allegations of cocaine trafficking, money laundering, bribery and violence, Eurojust said.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 06/12/2018; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Associated Press
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