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

By KIRSTEN GRIESHABER and NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Police have arrested suspects and raided homes across Germany and Italy in a massive effort to clamp down on member of the Italian ’ndrangheta organized crime syndicate. More than 1,000 officers searched dozens of homes, offices and stores in four German states early Wednesday, prosecutors said in a joint statement. More than 30 suspects who had outstanding warrants were arrested. Among other things, the suspects are accused of money laundering, gang tax evasion, commercial gang fraud and narcotics smuggling, the state office of criminal investigation in North Rhine-Westphalia said. In Italy, carabinieri police backed by helicopters served arrest warrants on 108 people. The raids are part of a wider joint investigation involving Europol and included simultaneous measures across Europe.