Carabinieri police on Friday arrested eight people on suspicion of kickbacks paid in connection with Air Force engineering contracts worth nine million euros. Those arrested in a dawn operation - which also involved searches in several cities - are suspected of belonging to a racketeering ring made up of military personnel, civilian defense employees, and businessmen.
The op led by Carabinieri Colonel Sergio De Caprio - who arrested Mafia boss of bosses Totò Riina in 1993 - busted what investigators say was "a criminal ring made up of businessmen and civilian and military employees of the 2nd Air Force Engineering Corps at Ciampino" near Rome.
The suspects used "a consolidated system of corruption" to "systematically tamper with tenders worth some nine million euros for ordinary and extraordinary maintenance of buildings located at various Air Force bases," investigators said.
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