Italy arrests 81 people over suspected links with mafia group

By Giovanni Legorano

ROME (AA) - Italy on Thursday arrested 81 people over their alleged links to mafia group ‘Ndrangheta and a variety of crimes.

The list of alleged crimes committed by the people included extortion, corruption, arms and drug trafficking, violent threats, and homicide.

The arrests were ordered by Judge Nicola Gratteri, the head of the prosecutors’ office in Catanzaro and anti-mafia prosecutor. Carabinieri police said that 29 of these people were put in jail, while the remaining 52 were placed under house arrest.

The operation is the result of an investigation which last May led to the arrest of 61 people accused of similar crimes.

There is a total of 170 people under investigation in this probe, the police said.

The investigation allowed prosecutors to understand criminal dynamics and the connections between criminals and entrepreneurs in the Calabrian area of Vibo Valentia.

In particular, the prosecutors are accusing the arrested people of extorting local businesses in the real estate and tourism sector.

They also accuse some of the arrested people of corrupting local politicians to assign jobs to people close to them in exchange for support at elections.

Among the arrested, there are also lawyers who have allegedly defrauded local authorities to illicitly obtain public funds destined to finance the reception and care of migrants.