Major strike against ’Ndrangheta

Hundreds of law enforcement agents have taken part in raids against the Mafia organisation 'Ndrangheta in several European countries. Those arrested are accused of drug trafficking and money laundering. This is the right way to tackle the Mafia, some commentators stress. Others see the fight as hopeless.

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Die Welt (DE) /

Work hand in hand against organised crime

The fight against the Mafia concerns all of Europe, Die Welt insists:

“For that reason one can understand the pride of the EU judicial authority Eurojust in The Hague, from which we hear very little otherwise. It's hard to imagine how complicated it must be to bring together the various legal, cultural, and linguistic competences for such a mega-strike against the Mafia. Until now it was above all the criminals who systematically took advantage of Europe's freedom of movement and complexity. ... In any event, democrats from the left to the right and from the north to the south must join hands to fight every form of mafia. Because the criminals who have long infiltrated many parties all over the continent are doing the same.”

Večernji list (HR) /

Anti-mafia laws needed everywhere

If there had been anti-mafia laws outside Italy before now the organisations wouldn't have become so powerful in the first place, Večernji list complains:

“The 'Ndrangheta bought everything that could be bought without having to say where the money came from - so mostly real estate. This is how it spread across Europe. In Germany there are no anti-mafia laws like in Italy and it wasn't possible to track down mafiosi who have globalised their organisations. ... People thought the mafia was an Italian thing, but now these arrests have made it clear that the criminal organisations are globally active. The only way to combat them is with uniform laws and global cooperation.”

De Morgen (BE) /

This Hydra can't be annihilated

The arrests will barely have any impact on the Mafia, De Morgen laments:

“Mass arrests like these happen on a regular basis in Italy, no matter what government is in power. Take the 'Ndrangheta, for example. Last January 169 members were arrested when the Gentiloni government was still in power. A couple of months before that under prime minister Renzi 70 members were put behind bars. And even in 2010 under Berlusconi, 300 members were arrested at the same time. Similar figures exist for all of Italy's big Mafia groups, which nevertheless seem to go on growing. ... Due to the Mafia's enormous reach it will hardly be possible for the Italian police to eradicate it. And due to its structured organisation, new leaders are ready to take the helm after each wave of arrests.”