Germany, Italy clamp down on Italian mob with raids, arrests

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER and NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Police across Europe have arrested dozens of people, raided homes and seized 25 million euros in assets in a massive joint effort to crack down on Italy’s ’ndrangheta organized crime syndicate.In Italy, carabinieri police backed by police helicopters served arrest warrants on 108 people across the peninsula accused among other things, of mafia association; possession, production, and trafficking of drugs and weapons; and money laundering.The operation aimed to dismantle a network of contacts between the n’drangheta, one of the world’s most powerful, extensive and wealthy drug traffickers. Working with Colombian drug producers and paramilitary groups, the network moves tons of cocaine to Europe each year.