Eight tonnes of cocaine have
been seized in Colombia in relation to an Italian probe into
drugs operations by the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta mafia,
investigators said Tuesday. The drugs, which were found in a
consignment of bananas, had a street value of 1.6 billion euros,
police said. Italian police arrested 54 people in Calabria on
suspicion of drug trafficking. They said the gang had been
planning to use a plane to bring cocaine into Calabria through
Lamezia Terme airport. Several other seizures of between 60 and
100 kilos each were conducted in Italy and other parts of
Europe, sources said. "The operation confirms the privileged
relationship the 'Ndrangheta has with the South American Narcos,
with agreements in which roles mix and the great capacity to
manage sales in many regions," said Nicola Gratteri, the head of
the Catanzaro DDA anti-mafia department.
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