50 mn seized from 'Ndrangheta-linked businessmen
Operation targets property across Italy
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(ANSA) - REGGIO CALABRIA, OCT 29 - Italian police on Thursday seized 50 million euros in goods and property from three businessmen in Reggio Calabria believed to have ties to the Calabria-based 'Ndrangheta mafia.
Antonino Scimone, 45, Antonino Mordà (51) and Pietro Canale (41) are suspected of close links to noted Calabrian clans, police said.
The three were among 27 people arrested in February 2018 in a major operation against usury and fraud that seized 51 companies, 18 pieces of real estate, and froze accounts worth some 100 million euros.
The latest property seizures took place across Italy and involved police in Milan, Brescia, Mantua, Varese, Pavia, La Spezia, Vicenza, Lecce and Sassari.
The criminal organization was based in Bianco in Calabria and had offshoots across Italy and abroad, police said.
Among the clans were the Nirtas from San Luca and the Barbaros from Platì.
Among the goods seized were deluxe watches, companies and prized real estate, police said.
Reggio Calabria Chief Prosecutor Giovanni Bombardieri said the "Clean Energy" probe and the "Martingale" operation had dealt a major blow to 'Ndrangheta assets.
Separately, Italian Criminapol chiefs and Interpol directors sent a 10-point questionnaire to 10 other countries to try to get a picture of 'Ndrangheta operations there.
The 10 countries are part of the 'I Can' (Interpol Cooperation Against 'Ndrangheta) project.
They are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Switzerland, Uruguay and USA. (ANSA).