Italian officials convicted more than 200 people of being part of the notorious 'Ndrangheta crime group and have been sentenced to lengthy prison times that total 2,200 years.
The ruling was made as part of the nation's largest mafia trial in the last three decades, which began in January 2021. The trial occurred in a purpose-built bunker in the southern Italian town of Lamezia Terme.
Italian Mafia Trial
More than 400 lawyers represented the defendants, and roughly 900 witnesses provided testimony in the case. The panel in charge of the case had three judges deliberating the fate of the 338 people accused since the end of the trial on Oct. 16.
They delivered their verdict on Monday, and it took the court one hour and 40 minutes to hand down its rulings to the defendants. Roughly 207 mobsters were imprisoned, and more than 100 were acquitted. As per CNN, the total jail time handed down to the defendants includes five life sentences and three 30-year sentences.
The defendants included 42 women, which was considered to be a record for a mafia trial, 39 of whom were convicted. Many of the suspects had colorful nicknames, including "The Wolf," "Fatso," "Sweetie," and "Lamb Thigh." Testimonies presented during the trial revealed that they were caught on some 24,000 wiretaps.
The defendants who were convicted include:
- The one-time Forza Italia lawmaker Giancarlo Pittelli.
- Former police chief Giorgio Naselli.
- Former financial police officer Michele Marinaro.
- Former mayor Gianluca Callipo.
- Former regional councilors Luigi Incarnato and Pietro Giamborino.
They were all said to be affiliated with the 'Ndrangheta crime group and they were convicted of mafia association, extortion, bribery, and five murders. The trial was also referred to as the Rinascita Scott, which was named after the United States special agent Scott W. Sieben who was credited with uncovering the ties between Colombia's cartels and the 'Ndrangheta.
While many defendants were acquitted, the trial still dealt a major blow to the crime group. The 'Ndrangheta enjoys a near monopoly on the European cocaine trade, according to The Guardian.
'Ndrangheta Crime Group
Nearly all defendants were initially arrested in December 2019 after a lengthy investigation that started in 2016 and stretched across at least 11 Italian regions. Roughly 2,500 law enforcement personnel participated in the raids that focused on suspects in Vibo Valentia, Calabria, which is the heart of an area controlled primarily by the 'Ndrangheta's Mancuso clan.
An elite carabinieri unit known as the "Cacciatori," which means "the hunters," conducted the arrest of several suspects. The mobsters were allegedly hiding in bunkers located behind sliding staircases, hidden trapdoors, and maintenance hole covers.
The 'Ndrangheta crime group originates from Calabria, the impoverished southern region located at the tip of Italy's boot. The group's name is believed to come from the ancient Greek words "Andros" and "Agathos," which mean brave or fearless man.
The group substantially expanded its reach from the 1970s onwards when it reinvested ransom money from kidnappings into public work projects and drug trafficking, particularly cocaine, according to Reuters.
