{"id":7099,"date":"2023-11-20T10:12:49","date_gmt":"2023-11-20T15:12:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/panoramitalia.com\/?p=7099"},"modified":"2023-11-20T10:12:53","modified_gmt":"2023-11-20T15:12:53","slug":"ndrangheta-207-gang-members-sentenced-to-total-of-2200-years-in-jail-after-one-of-italys-biggest-mafia-trials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/panoramitalia.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/20\/ndrangheta-207-gang-members-sentenced-to-total-of-2200-years-in-jail-after-one-of-italys-biggest-mafia-trials\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Ndrangheta: 207 gang members sentenced to total of 2,200 years in jail after one of Italy’s biggest mafia trials"},"content":{"rendered":"

The three-year trial involved mafiosi, entrepreneurs and politicians, and included charges of murder, corruption, drug trafficking, money laundering and extortion.<\/h3>
<\/div>

Skynews –<\/em><\/strong> 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>

Some 338 defendants were accused of being members of the powerful crime group, ‘Ndrangheta, with the trial ongoing since January 2021.<\/p>

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>

‘Ndrangheta is the only\u00a0mafia<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to be active in every continent, is said to control 80% of Europe’s cocaine trade, and has an estimated annual turnover of \u00a352bn.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>

The three-year trial involved mafiosi, entrepreneurs and politicians, and included charges of murder, corruption, drug trafficking, money laundering and extortion.<\/p>

Since retiring last month to consider their verdicts, the three judges had to live in a safe house under police protection.<\/p>

Some 67 defendants were already found guilty after opting for a speedy trial, and 131 people have now been acquitted.<\/p>

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Officials listen as the judges read the verdicts. Pic: AP<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>
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A large bunker courtroom was built in Lamezia Terme, Italy, to hold the trial. Pic: AP<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>

Among those convicted include 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>

Ex-Forza Italia MP Giancarlo Pittelli, one of the most high-profile defendants, received 11 years for being a mafia go-between.<\/p>

The bosses of two ‘Ndrangheta clans, Saverio Razionale and Domenico Bonavota, both got 30 years, according to\u00a0Italy<\/a><\/strong>‘s ANSA news agency.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>

Several dozen informants betrayed the organisation and its strict code of silence to provide evidence for the prosecution.<\/p>

‘The Uncle’<\/strong><\/p>

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Luigi Mancuso is said to be a leading figure in the ‘Ndrangheta Pic: Police handout<\/sup><\/figcaption><\/figure>

The ‘maxi trial’ focused on one of the ‘Ndrangheta’s key families, the Mancusos, and their associates.<\/p>

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>

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>

Millions of euros worth of properties and cash were seized, while 300 suspects were detained.<\/p>

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>

The chief prosecutor who led the huge investigation was Nicola Gratteri, who organised the building of a bunker courtroom to hold the trial.<\/p>

Mr Gratteri, who is Italy’s most famous anti-mafia prosecutor, has been living under police protection for 34 years.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>

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>

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>

“To live a hundred years as a coward is meaningless,” he said. “Instead, I have lived as a man.”<\/p>

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently said Italy now has the most effective tactics in fighting organised crime.<\/p>

“We have an extremely changeable enemy and the fight against the mafia is a cornerstone of this government,” she said.<\/p>

Read more here<\/a><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The three-year trial involved mafiosi, entrepreneurs and politicians, and included charges of murder, corruption, drug trafficking, money laundering and extortion. Skynews – Over 200 gang members have been sentenced to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7104,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1657,1658,1659,1656],"class_list":{"0":"post-7099","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-1657","9":"tag-200-years-sentence","10":"tag-mafia-trial","11":"tag-ndrangheta-trial"},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t