An Italian court has convicted and sentenced more than 200 people of crimes including criminal association, extortion and bribery in what has been described as Italy’s largest mafia trial in three decades. About 2,500 officers participated in raids focused on suspects in Vibo Valentia, Calabria, the heart of an area controlled mainly by the ’Ndrangheta’s Mancuso clan. A police chief, local councillors and businessmen accused of aiding the mafia were also arrested in Germany, Switzerland and Bulgaria. Photograph: Valeria Ferraro/APFor the trial, Gratteri’s team had collected 24,000 wiretaps and intercepted conversations to back up their charges. Notably, the trial marked a significant departure from previous cases, as it included non-mafia individuals among the defendants.

Source: The Guardian November 21, 2023 03:28 UTC