(see related)A major operation
against the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta mafia that led to the arrest
of 58 suspects Tuesday began from a lead in the 2010
assassination of Angelo Vassallo, the so-called
'fisherman-mayor' of the seaside village of Pollica in southern
Campania.
Vassallo openly fought organized crime and building
speculators who have marred coasts and countryside all over the
Mezzogiorno, and was gunned down in a suspected Camorra mafia
hit outside his home on September 5, 2010.
Among his many battles to protect environmental and
cultural heritage along Italy's lovely Cilento coast, Vassallo
had denounced a drug trafficking ring operating around Pollica
that as it turns out, was run by the Muto clan from the Cosenza
area.
"We believe we have touched upon the highest 'Ndrangheta
powers operating on the Cosenza-area Tyrrhenian coast," said
Catanzaro anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri.
"Therefore, if people want to now they can rebel against
fishermen being oppressed with even more extortion requests".
"The Mutos are an ancient 'Ndrangheta clan, but they are
also modern because they have diversified their criminal
activities, just like a multinational," he added, describing
them as monopolizing economic resources along the tourist-rich
coast from Cilento to Cosenza for 30 years, from the fish
industry to hotel laundry services to nightclub security.
"The turned the sea into a feud to ensure the economic
satisfaction of a very few," said fellow anti-mafia prosecutor
Vincenzo Luberto, who pointed out that a branch of Conad retail
chain was attacked after management refused to let the clan take
over management of the fish stand inside the supermarket.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
