The Italian police have seized 2 billion euros worth of mafia assets in a series of raids.
The seizures included hundreds of betting shops owned by the ‘Ndrangheta, who are believed to be behind most of Europe’s cocaine trading.
From the BBC:
Italy’s Interior Minister, Angelino Alfano, said the raids in the southern Calabria region were “a serious blow to the ‘Ndrangheta”.
Police said they had seized at least 1,500 betting shops, 82 gambling websites, 45 Italian companies and 11 foreign firms, as well as a large number of other properties.
The ‘Ndrangheta is considered one of the most powerful mafia organizations in Italy, and a huge player in the cocaine trade.
Two weeks ago, over 1.6bn in assets were seized by police from five Sicilian siblings potentially linked to the mafia.
Last year during Pope Francis’s visit to Calabria, which is considered the home base of the ‘Ndrangheta, the Pope criticized the group’s “adoration of evil and contempt of the common good”.