INTERPOL-led Coalition Arrests 100 Italy’s Most Powerful Mafia Suspects

An international police coalition coordinated by INTERPOL has led to the arrest of more than 100 key ‘Ndrangheta members since the project’s launch in 2020.

The 100th and 101st arrests occurred during a coordinated operation last month supported by INTERPOL in Germany and Italy.

German authorities raided three houses in the cities of Ulm and Göppingen, seizing a large cache of information, including cloud data. The police also found significant amounts of cash, luxury watches and jewelry.

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The Italian authorities acted in parallel, arresting two suspects, seizing multiple properties and vehicles, and freezing bank accounts.

A Calabrian businessman with alleged links to two ‘Ndrangheta clans was arrested in Bologna while a second suspect was arrested the same day in the city of Formia.

The operation took place within the framework of an investigation led by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza in Bologna.

INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said: “The ‘Ndrangheta are a global scourge and demonstrate the unprecedented threat posed by transnational organized crime groups. Yet the success of the I-CAN project makes clear that even the most powerful mafias are not out of reach when law enforcement cooperates across borders.”

Giampiero Ianni, Brigadier General of the Guardia di Finanza, said: “I-CAN’s 101 arrests show there is no escape for members of the ‘Ndrangheta. With the support of INTERPOL, we have been able to investigate this insidious organization, mapping its international development and working together with prosecutors to apprehend its fugitives.”

The ‘Ndrangheta is often considered one of the most extensive and powerful criminal organizations in the world.

Its roots are in the Italian region of Calabria but it has now expanded to more than 40 countries worldwide and continues to grow at a steady rate.

The insidious spread of mafia-type crime poses an urgent threat to international peace and security, due to its penetration of political and economic environments and the widespread corruption associated with it.

Funded by the Italian Department of Public Security, INTERPOL’s I-CAN project raises global awareness and understanding about the ‘Ndrangheta and their modus operandi, sharing police information to dismantle their networks and operations and arrest wanted suspects.