This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/10610120.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
Italy arrests 'top mafia boss' | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Mr Oppedisano was arrested in Calabria, southern Italy | |
The man believed to be the "top boss" of an alleged Italian crime family is among those arrested in a police sweep. | |
At least 300 people were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of crimes including murder, money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation. | |
The Calabrian mafia, known as 'Ndrangheta, is one of Italy's major criminal organisations. | The Calabrian mafia, known as 'Ndrangheta, is one of Italy's major criminal organisations. |
Domenico Oppedisano, 80, said by police to be the family head, was arrested a small coastal town in Calabria. | |
Police also arrested the organisation's manager in Milan, northern Italy, among 160 others in the Lombardy region. | |
Those held include businessmen and a public health official. | |
Mafia war | |
The operation also involved arrests in the US, according to reports. | |
The sweep comes after the northern branch of the family tried and failed to secede from the southern part of the operation, sparking a mafia war, the news agency Agence France Presse reported. | |
Analysts say the group had expanded out of its Calabrian heartland to play a major role in organised crime throughout Europe, and in the international drugs trade from South America. | |
The police have also seized assets worth millions of euros. | |
The police operation involved 3,000 officers and is the largest carried out by police in recent years, local media said. | |
Anti-mafia prosecutors say that the operation exposed crucial information about how the family operates, and made extensive use of wiretaps. | |
Are you from Calabria? What do you think of the arrests? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you from Calabria? What do you think of the arrests? Send us your comments using the form below. |