the mafia as a whole, emerged in southern Italy in the medieval period. However, Something similar, is still visible today: the activity of these criminal organizations being one of the great security and public order problems faced by national states. An important attempt to combat this type of crime in the region, was Operation Clean Hands (Clean hands) in 1992, succeeded, but definitely not, and legal and criminal instances were transmuted and equipped more severely to fight the mafia system, allowing Italian justice to detain, tried and convicted hundreds of members of criminal organizations. Even with the harsh reaction of your bosses, the mafia wore out a lot in this process and found itself stripped of its former prestige.
In this sense, there was another happened, in May 2021, aiming to contain the further development and domination of the âNdrangheta clan, institutionalizing an action plan coordinated by Europol to act in the prison of its members, drawing the attention not only of the Italian authorities, but also European and international. At least 33 people were arrested in connection with the mafia in different European countries such as Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, with the acting of almost 800 police and inspectors, that in a published note, Europol identified the involvement of drug trafficking and money laundering. One of the largest lawsuits is being filed, called "Rinascita-Scott" which already brings together, with the recent capture, near 325 defendants accused of clan involvement. Dozens of other suspected members of the âNdrangheta, including police and businessmen, were arrested in a second wave of arrests in January 2021.
The âNdrangheta mafia was formed in the region of Calabria, in Italy. currently, consolidated itself as the most influential criminal organization in the country and in Europe, even surpassing the Cosa Nostra, thanks to its ramifications in Latin America, Africa and other countries for cocaine trafficking. The peculiarity of its organizational structure draws attention: its members are members of certain Italian families, Loading, therefore, a common blood relationship. According to estimates by Italian researchers, near 80% of the cocaine consumed in Europe was smuggled by the gang. Its mode of operation was responsible for much of its concentration of power, given its role in illicit activities such as drug and arms trafficking, prostitution, extortion, money laundry, among others.
Therefore, the large-scale performance and growth of these organizations becomes clear., that have links with even the biggest criminal faction in Brazil, the CCP. Federico Cafiero de Raho, the italian anti-mafia prosecutor, he expressed warning that the âNdrangheta is a âgreat dangerâ and that âan intervention at a global level would be necessary, and not just at the European level", considering the complexity and size of the operation of this conglomerate, which features a sophisticated trafficking and money laundering scheme.
references:
SOMERVILLE, Hannah. Italy, German and Europol in fresh crackdown on ândrangheta activities in Europe. Euronews, 5/5/2021. Available in: https://www.euronews.com/2021/05/05/italy-germany-and-europol-in-fresh-crackdown-on-ndrangheta-activities-in-europe. Access in 12/5/2021.
Italy ândrangheta group: biggest mĂĄfia trial in decades opens. BBC News, 13/1/2021. Available in: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55633091. Access in 14/5/2021.
VERDĂ, Daniel. This is how the mafia that does not stop during the pandemic operates. The Country Brazil, 19/4/2020. Available in: https://brasil.elpais.com/internacional/2020-04-19/assim-opera-a-mafia-que-nao-para-durante-a-pandemia.html. Access in 12/5/2021.
Calabrian mafia mega trial kicks off in Italy. Euronews, 13/1/2021. Available in: https://pt.euronews.com/2021/01/13/mega-julgamento-da-mafia-calabresa-arranca-em-italia. Access in 13/5/2021.
Author: Gabriela lombardi
