The notorious and powerful 'Ndrangheta from the southern Italian region of Calabria has pocketed $ 45,000 from the Italian government that was intended for emergency relief to businesses because of Covid-19.

The Milan tax police have found the case and arrested eight people. They are suspected of participating in a criminal organization, made worse by the use of mafia methods, possession of weapons, money laundering, fictitious registration of goods and false invoices.

The 'Ndrangheta clan was associated with mob boss Lino Greco. The clan comes from the province of Crotone (in Calabria), but is also very active in the northern Italian regions of Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Police conducted searches across Italy.

Four detainees were immediately sent to prison pending trial. The other four are under house arrest pending trial. The Italian police came across false invoices and front men during the investigation, and confiscated money and goods worth EUR 7.5 million.

Among those arrested is also a Chinese resident in the Tuscany region who helped launder large sums of money sent to China. Large amounts were also channeled to accounts in England and Bulgaria.