'Ndrangheta Mafia undone: Italy arrests 300 in huge crackdown

The 'Ndrangheta mafia, Italy's most powerful crime syndicate, was dealt a major blow by Italian police Tuesday. Police arrested 300, including the 'Ndrangheta mafia boss, Domenico Oppedisano. The group is allegedly involved in the health-care industry, cocaine distribution, and arms trafficking.

(Page 2 of 2)

Its criminal activities are anything but courageous, however, and largely revolve around the highly lucrative importation of cocaine from Colombia and its distribution around Europe.

The long-term impact of the nationwide assault on the 'Ndrangheta remains to be seen, but investigators claimed it struck a crippling blow against one of the world's most powerful but enigmatic criminal syndicates.

Built on cocaine and collusion

Italy's Eurispes institute has estimated that the 'Ndrangheta's turnover from trafficking in cocaine and arms, prostitution, and extortion amounts to around 44 billion euros ($56 billion) a year – the equivalent of 2.9 percent of Italy's gross domestic product.

The strength of the mafia also relies on the collusion of corrupt police, politicians and businessmen, as numerous scandals have attested in recent years, including some involving long-serving and very close aides of Mr Berlusconi.

“The huge raid against the ‘Ndrangheta confirms what we have been fearing for years – that its reach goes to the very heart of this country. It’s really a national emergency,” said Franco Laratta, a member of Parliament from the main opposition party.

Much less well known than Cosa Nostra of Sicily or the Camorra of Campania, the 'Ndrangheta hit international headlines in 2007 when a blood feud between clans resulted in the gunning down of six men outside a pizzeria in the sleepy town of Duisburg, Germany.

Its tight organisational structure, based on blood ties and family, has made it hard to penetrate, and it has yielded far fewer turncoats, or 'pentiti,' than other mafia groups.

RELATED STORIES