Mafia and Italian mobsters made millions euro over the illegal asylum centre, which was run by a local priest under Roman Catholic charity as a cover.
The Italian state police unveiled one of the largest illegal reception centres for migrants from the Middle East and North Africa. The ‘Ndrangheta mafia members were running this organisation for ten years at least, the police report informed. This largest migrant reception centre in Europe used a Roman Catholic charity as a cover to cream off millions of euros in state funds, adds the Financial police.
According to the police reports, nearly 70 people, including a priest, were arrested in dawn raids this morning on Monday. There were the allegations the ‘Ndrangheta mafia infiltrated the centre in the south of Italy.
Police raid’s results and names of arrested mafioso
On Monday morning, police raid resulted in seizure goods and property worth 84 million euros. The priest Edoardo Scordio was arrested alongside with Leonardo Sacco, the head of the local Misericordia association. The association manages the Sant’Anna Cara immigrant centre in the town of Isola Capo Rizzuto, other ties with the mafia will be investigated.
The scale of the illegal reception centre demonstrates the ability of mafia to earn money with ruling this migrant route. The fenced-in centre can house up to 1,200 migrants, and Italian prosecutors claim managed to infiltrate the operation at least eight years ago, taking charge of key services such as catering and laundry.
