Hit ‘Ndrangheta in Germany – over 1000 agents deployed

With a large-scale operation in several states, the police took action against members of the Italian mafia ‘Ndrangheta on Wednesday. More than 1,000 agents, including special forces units, were deployed across Germany. There were dozens of house searches and several arrests. The public prosecutor’s offices of Düsseldorf, Koblenz, Saarbrücken and Munich and the detective offices of the states of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland announced this on Wednesday morning.

According to initial information, the focus of the operation was on North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, each with about 500 officers. In North Rhine-Westphalia, 51 houses, apartments, offices and business premises were searched. In addition, the officers executed 15 arrest warrants. In the Thuringian state capital of Erfurt, 4 properties were searched and an EU arrest warrant was executed.

According to the prosecutor’s office, there were 50 search warrants in Rhineland-Palatinate and 10 arrest warrants were executed. The emergency services in Rhineland-Palatinate were supported by special units from the federal government and other states, as well as customs and tax inspectors.

According to the information, investigations are ongoing against 8 people in Bavaria. Since the morning, more than 130 emergency services have searched 10 objects and EU arrest warrants have been executed against 4 people.

In Saarland, a residential building and business premises of a 47-year-old man in Saarbrücken were searched, as well as a room that the man had rented in Saarlouis. The man wanted with an arrest warrant has been arrested in Italy. Another 25-year-old from Saarland who was wanted with an arrest warrant has also been arrested in Italy. According to the information, some 90 emergency services were involved in the measures, including special forces and the riot police.

The message read: “The background is a procedure related to Italian organized crime, directed against those responsible and members of the ‘Ndrangheta association.” The suspects are charged with money laundering, gang tax evasion, commercial gang fraud and drug smuggling, among other things.

The case will be carried out by a joint investigation team from Europol and Eurojust, the EU agency for cooperation in criminal matters. In addition to Italy, on which the campaign focuses, authorities from Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain also participated. According to the Italian authorities, a total of 108 arrest warrants have been executed.

Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD) spoke of an “effective blow” against the mafia. “Today we are sending a very clear signal: there is no place for organized crime in Europe and certainly not here in Rhineland-Palatinate.” Law enforcement agencies are vigilant and effective. Machinations of criminal organizations would be resolutely and consistently pursued.

The ‘Ndrangheta has its roots in Calabria, Italy, but the mafia is also active in Germany.

(yam/sda/dpa)