Italian authorities executed two seperate raids on the Mafia taking down more then 100 reputed mobsters. Two seperate investigations against the Sicilian Mafia in Rome and the Calabrian Mafia in Lamezia Terme led to the takedowns. The raid in Rome included 50 reputed members of the D’Agati, Fasciani, and Triassi clans of the Sicilian Mafia were taken into custody. Mobsters from these various Sicilian clans were targeted for criminal operations including gambling rackets, drug dealing, and protection rackets being run out of bars and restaurants used as fronts. They were also caught on secret recordings planning for the division of territory and plotting multiple murders. It was a mortal blow to the three powerful mob clans that have dominated organized crime operations in that region for years says Italy’s Corriere della Sera. It was one of the largest mafia raids ever in the capital according to Italian law enforcement.
The raid in Calabria targeted the Giampa clan of the Calabrian Mafia also known as the Ndrangheta and led to 65 reputed mobsters being arrested and $266 million dollars worth of assets seized. The clan was allegedly defrauding insurance companies by staging fake car accidents to collect funds that where then used to finance drug and gun running operations. According to authorities they clan had lawyers, local insurers, body repairman, and even doctors on its payroll to help pull off the insurance fraud scheme which earned in excess of $1.3 million dollars a year. Giuseppe Giampa the reputed boss of the Giampa clan is suspected of ordering at least 20 murders during a mafia turf war that lasted from 2005 to 2011 for control of Lamezia Terme. Some of the suspected hitmen used for those murders were among the 65 arrested. Senator Piero Aiello is also currently under investigation for ties to the Giampa Clan.
