Cross-border crackdown: Police raids target Italian mafia in Germany
On Tuesday morning, hundreds of police officers conducted operations against the Italian mafia in four states in western Germany and in Italy. Several dozen mafia members were arrested in total.
What do you need to know?
- Where and when? On Tuesday morning, police operations took place in four federal states in western Germany and in Italy at 06:00 GMT.
- Why? The aim of the operation was to combat Italian mafias and other forms of organised crime.
- Who was involved? Several hundred police officers participated in the operation, which resulted from cooperation between German and Italian authorities.
Which mafias operate in Germany?
The operation carried out in Germany, specifically in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, North Rhine-Westphalia, and the Saarland, is the result of collaboration with Italian authorities to combat mafias and other forms of organized crime.
According to the latest information from the Ministry of the Interior (data as of April 2024), in Baden-Württemberg, there are approximately 170 people classified by the police as being involved in organised crime. Active members of Cosa Nostra and the Camorra are among those operating there.
What crimes do the mafias commit?
The mafias take advantage of Baden-Württemberg's strategic location to conduct criminal activities. They are involved in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering, and tax fraud.
