{"id":83186,"date":"2023-11-20T15:19:23","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T15:19:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.estaql.com\/ndrangheta-207-gang-members-sentenced-to-total-of-2200-years-in-jail-after-one-of-italys-biggest-mafia-trials-world-news\/"},"modified":"2023-11-20T15:19:23","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T15:19:23","slug":"ndrangheta-207-gang-members-sentenced-to-total-of-2200-years-in-jail-after-one-of-italys-biggest-mafia-trials-world-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/estaql.com\/seo\/ndrangheta-207-gang-members-sentenced-to-total-of-2200-years-in-jail-after-one-of-italys-biggest-mafia-trials-world-news\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Ndrangheta: 207 gang members sentenced to total of 2,200 years in jail after one of Italy’s biggest mafia trials | World News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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‘Ndrangheta: 207 gang members sentenced to total of 2,200 years in jail after one of Italy’s biggest mafia trials | World News<\/h2>\n
‘Ndrangheta: 207 gang members sentenced to total of 2,200 years in jail after one of Italy’s biggest mafia trials | World News<\/p>\n
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Over 200 gang members have been sentenced to a total of more than 2,200 years after one of the biggest mafia trials in Italian history.<\/p>\n
Some 338 defendants were accused of being members of the powerful crime group, ‘Ndrangheta, with the trial ongoing since January 2021.<\/p>\n
Founded in the 18th century in Calabria, it has grown to become one of the world’s most powerful, extensive and richest criminal organisations.<\/p>\n
‘Ndrangheta is the only mafia<\/strong> to be active in every continent – apart from Antarctica – is said to control 80% of Europe’s cocaine trade, and has an estimated annual turnover of \u00a352bn.<\/p>\n
The three-year trial involved mafiosi, entrepreneurs and politicians, and included charges of murder, corruption, drug trafficking, money laundering and extortion.<\/p>\n
Since retiring last month to consider their verdicts, the three judges had to live in a safe house under police protection.<\/p>\n
Some 67 defendants were already found guilty after opting for a speedy trial, and 131 people have now been acquitted<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n Image:<\/span> \n Officials listen as the judges read the verdicts. Pic: AP \n <\/span> \n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/div>\n Image:<\/span> \n A large bunker courtroom was built in Lamezia Terme, Italy, to hold the trial. Pic: AP \n <\/span> \n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Among those convicted were Domenico Tomaino, known as ‘The Wolf’, who got 17 years; ‘Fatty’ Francesco Barbieri, who got 24 years; and Vincenzo Barba, known as ‘The Musician’, who was sentenced to 28 years.<\/p>\n
Ex-Forza Italia MP Giancarlo Pittelli, one of the most high-profile defendants, received 11 years for being a mafia go-between.<\/p>\n
The bosses of two ‘Ndrangheta clans, Saverio Razionale and Domenico Bonavota, both got 30 years, Sky News understands.<\/p>\n
Several dozen informants betrayed the organisation and its strict code of silence to provide evidence for the prosecution.<\/p>\n
‘The Uncle’<\/strong><\/p>\n
The ‘maxi trial’ focused on one of the ‘Ndrangheta’s key families, the Mancusos, and their associates.<\/p>\n
The man said to be the family’s ‘Godfather’ figure, Luigi Mancuso, known as ‘The Uncle’, is due to face a separate trial. His nephew has already given evidence against the organisation.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n Image:<\/span> \n Luigi Mancuso is said to be a leading figure in the ‘Ndrangheta Pic: Police handout \n <\/span> \n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
Special forces and elite units hit the ‘Ndrangheta in December 2019, with around 3,000 officers raiding 12 Italian regions and also making arrests in Germany, Switzerland and Bulgaria.<\/p>\n
Millions of euros worth of properties and cash were seized, while 300 suspects were detained.<\/p>\n
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The 2019 operation was named Rinascita-Scott, referring to the rebirth of the region – ‘rinascita’ in Italian – and to US special agent Scott W Sieben, who helped Italian police discover links between Colombia’s cartels and the ‘Ndrangheta.<\/p>\n
The chief prosecutor who led the huge investigation was Nicola Gratteri, who organised the building of a bunker courtroom to hold the trial.<\/p>\n
Read more: Nicola Gratteri – the mafia’s most wanted man <\/strong><\/p>\n
Mr Gratteri, who is Italy’s most famous anti-mafia prosecutor, has been living under police protection for 34 years.<\/p>\n
At the start of the hearing, he told Sky News he would not be intimidated by the many death threats and assassination plots against him.<\/p>\n
In August, while Sky News was given rare access to Italy’s hidden mafia war, Mr Gratteri said that if he were to die tomorrow, “it wouldn’t be a problem for me”.<\/p>\n
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<\/div>\n Image:<\/span> \n Prosecutor Nicola Gratteri has been under police protection for 34 years \n <\/span> \n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
“To live a hundred years as a coward is meaningless,” he said. “Instead, I have lived as a man.”<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently said Italy now has the most effective tactics in fighting organised crime.<\/p>\n
“We have an extremely changeable enemy and the fight against the mafia is a cornerstone of this government,” she said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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