Ran across something interesting this morning.

I've read/heard about how the Italian government has seized billions of euro/lira from OC members in Italy when they bust someone.

I ran across an old report online this morning claiming that what is seized is not always what is actually confiscated. Due alot to the Italian authorities acting too quickly most of the seized money/property actually ends up going back to the person. The report claimed that from 82-95 9 trillion lira was seized but only 967 billion was actually confiscated which is only around 11%.

I'm just kinda curious if anyone has any further info on this. I tried looking online for more and up to date info but no luck.

You're right, the Italian govt and anti-mafia are quick to throw out these inflated numbers about assets seized, money seized, and the huge arrests they make. It's always the most ever this, and the biggest arrest that. It gets put out in the media and that's the end of it. What they never follow up on is that most of that money/property either gets back in the hands of the family anyway, or that when mafia members are arrested in these huge sweeps, many times they are released sometime after. Could be days,weeks, or months, but when they're released so are their assets and money.
The govt doesn't follow up with the story though, it would make bad news.

They think nothing of coming to you, arresting you, taking your things and holding until you can prove your innocence, especially if you're suspected of mafia crimes.

Several years ago, someone I know in Sicily was arrested and kept in jail for 1 1/2 years until he finally proved they didn't have anything on him. They threw 8,000 EU at him for compensation for time lost and that was that.

If true it certainly gives an untrue and twisted representation of Italy's war on organized crime.

Yeah, considering all those massive arrests and seizures of money and property that happen all the time, if Italian law enforcement actually kept these guys in jail and didn't return their money, there's no way the Italian syndicates would be as rich and as strong as they are.