More than 1,000 police officers turned out early Wednesday morning against members of the Italian mafia organization ‘Ndrangheta in Germany. During the large-scale operation, dozens of apartments were searched nationwide and around 30 arrest warrants were executed, according to the law enforcement authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria and Saarland. The investigators also struck in other European countries, including Italy itself.
According to the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the ‘Ndrangheta is currently the “most relevant mafia group” with a dominant position in the European cocaine market. “It is trying to expand its territory and exert influence on Calabrian migrant communities,” the BKA said.
allegation of money laundering
According to the law enforcement authorities, the background to the raids is a procedure aimed at those responsible and members of the ‘Ndrangheta. The suspects are accused of money laundering, gang tax evasion, commercial gang fraud and drug smuggling, among other things.
The procedure will be conducted by a joint investigation team involving Europol and Eurojust, the EU agency for cooperation in criminal matters. In addition to Italy, authorities from Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain are also present. According to Italian authorities, a total of 108 arrest warrants were executed.
According to the information, the focus of the mission in Germany was North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, each with around 500 officers. In North Rhine-Westphalia, 51 houses, apartments, offices and commercial properties were searched. In addition, the officers executed 15 arrest warrants. The Einsatzhunde and the special task force were also involved in the raids. In the Thuringian state capital of Erfurt, 4 properties were searched and an EU arrest warrant was executed.
Michael Ebling: “effective blow”
According to the public prosecutor’s office, there were 50 search warrants in Rhineland-Palatinate and 10 arrest warrants were executed. The forces there were supported by special units from the federal government and other states, as well as from customs and tax investigators.
According to the information, investigations against 8 people are underway in Bavaria. Since the morning, more than 130 emergency services have searched 10 objects, and EU arrest warrants have been executed against 4 people.
In Saarland, a residential building and business premises of a 47-year-old man were searched in the state capital of Saarbrücken, as well as a room that the man had rented in Saarlouis. The man wanted with an arrest warrant was arrested in Italy. Another 25-year-old from Saarland who was wanted with an arrest warrant was also arrested in Italy. According to the information, around 90 emergency services were involved in the measures, including special units and the riot police.
The Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Michael Ebling (SPD) spoke of an “effective blow” against the mafia. “Today we sent out a very clear signal: There is no place for organized crime in Europe and there is certainly no place for them here in Rhineland-Palatinate either.” The law enforcement authorities are vigilant and effective. Machinations of criminal organizations would be pursued resolutely and consistently.
Roots in Calabria
The ‘Ndrangheta has its roots in Italian Calabria, but the mafia is also active in Germany. According to the BKA, it has a hierarchical structure. Accordingly, she has repeatedly shown that she is capable of infiltrating business and politics in Italy. In addition, the group is mainly active in Spain, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, the USA, as well as Colombia and Australia.
The term ‘Ndrangheta comes from the Greek and means something like courage or loyalty. The mafia organization is said to have started in the 1860s when a group of Sicilians were banned from the island by the Italian government.
Mafia money laundering in Germany often goes undetected
Even after the most recent large-scale raid, Germany remains an important safe haven for mafia organizations, according to Greens domestic politician Marcel Emmerich. “This is a long-prepared and hard blow against the mafia in Germany, which was only possible through international and networked investigations,” commented the Green Party leader on the Bundestag’s Interior Committee on the police measures.
The influence of these criminal groups through money laundering, tax evasion and drug trafficking is enormous, their brutality and their networks are still an underestimated security risk. “For decades, Germany has become a safe haven for mafia billions, money laundering and tax evasion,” said Emmerich. “The raids must not hide the fact that Italian mafia organizations in Germany continue to conduct their brutal business largely undetected,” he added. It is important to remain resolute here, to strengthen structural investigations and the analytical ability of the security authorities.
