Europol announced that law enforcement in 10 countries arrested 132 alleged Ndrangheta mafia members on Wednesday. Photo courtesy Europol
May 3 (UPI) -- Law enforcement agencies in 10 countries carried out raids Wednesday morning that nabbed 132 alleged members of the notorious 'Ndrangheta Italian criminal syndicate.
Europol more than 2,770 officers from Belgium, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Romania in Europe along with agents in Brazil and Panama conducted the raids and took control of several companies.
The mafia-style organization has been involved in a "staggering list of criminal activities" from drug trafficking, firearms trafficking and illegal firearms possession, to money laundering, fraudulent asset registration, tax fraud and tax evasion.
"The Italian criminal network was mainly devoted to international drug trafficking from South America to Europe, as well as Australia," Europol said in a statement.
"Authorities uncovered that the network was working in partnership with the Colombian organized crime group Gulf Clan and an Albanian-speaking crime group operating in Ecuador and multiple European countries."
Authorities accused the 'Ndrangheta group of global firearm trafficking from Pakistan to South America, providing weapons to the notorious criminal group Primeiro Comando da Capital, of PCC, in exchange for cocaine shipments.
"Investigators tracked the flow of money in an extensive global money laundering system, with massive investments in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil," Europol said.
"The criminal group was investing its profits in real estate, restaurants, hotels, car wash companies, supermarkets, and other commercial activities. In order to pay for cocaine or to transfer illicit assets, the criminals often relied on facilitators using the hawala system."
International policing agencies have scored some successes against mafia activity. In February, Italian mob boss Edgardo Greco was arrested in France where he hid working as a pizza chef while on the run.
In March, detectives in the Dominican Republic arrested mobster leader Marc Feren Claude Biart after recognizing his distinctive tattoos on a YouTube cooking channel.