49 'Ndrangheta arrests after Rho 'locale' rebuilt
Woman boss 'more merciless than the men' say cops

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 22 - Italian police on Tuesday made 49 arrests in a Milan probe into the 'reconstitution' of a 'locale' or branch of the Calabria-basd 'Ndrangheta mafia in the city of Rho near the Lombard capital, which had been smashed by a 'maxi-operation' in 2000.
For the first time in Lombary, police said they had found a women among the 'Ndrangheta bosses, who was "even more merciless than the males": the right hand woman of boss Cristian Bandiera, "who replaces him in a series of activities".
In all, police said they had found five women among the 'Ndrangheta operatives in Lombardy.
Police seizes assets worth 40 million euros from 'Ndrangheta linked businessmen in the probe.
Police intercepts turned up threats including "I'll eat your liver and that of those two sh***y rats," "today I'll come to your house and batter you to death" and "remember that they're going to bring me a piece of you".
The 49 people arrested have been charged with mafia association, drug trafficking, extortion, threats, private violence, arson, and possession and use of illegal weapons, all aggravated by using mafia methods. (ANSA).