German and Italian authorities have arrested 29 people suspected of operating a mafia-style criminal network responsible for various offenses across both countries, Eurojust said Tuesday.
The coordinated operation, led by Eurojust, involved more than 350 law enforcement officers conducting about 40 searches in Germany and Italy. Authorities arrested 10 suspects in Germany and 19 in Italy, including a German police officer accused of aiding the criminal group.
German officers participated in raids in Italy, while Italian officers assisted with operations in Germany.
Authorities described the group as a “‘Ndrangheta mafia-style organized crime network” and suspect it has committed a range of offenses, particularly in the Stuttgart region of Germany and the Italian regions of Calabria and Emilia-Romagna. The charges include membership in a foreign criminal organization, arson, leaking confidential information, drug trafficking, money laundering, and attempted manslaughter.
Investigators, according to Eurojust, also uncovered a sophisticated fraud scheme involving high-end food products, including premium cheeses, olive oil, and specialized pizza-making equipment. The group allegedly obtained these goods through a fraudulent company that never paid suppliers, then resold them through another business to Italian restaurants in and around Stuttgart. Restaurant owners were reportedly pressured into purchasing the items.
