The Calabria-based 'Ndrangheta mafia
voted for a northern Italian mayor in exchange for the
appointment of a late boss's nephew as town councillor, sources
said after 34 arrests Thursday.
The arrests included 32 Italian men, a Moroccan man and a
Romanian woman.
The probe has established a link between the former mayor of
Lonate Pozzolo near Varese, Danilo Rivolta, and several members
of the local branch of 'Ndrangheta, sources said.
Rivolta's election was allegedly backed by influential
Calabrian families in exchange for the appointment as councillor
of the nephew of boss Alfonso Murano, killed at Ferno near
Varese on February 28, 2006.
Among those probed, there is also a Ferno councillor of the
nationalist Brothers of Italy (FdI) party, Enzo Misiano, who was
arrested, and a technical expert who worked for Busto Arsizio
prosecutors.
The technical expert allegedly acted as a mole in the
prosecutor's office.
A regional coordinator of the self-styled 'Christian Popular'
party, Peppino Falvo, was also arrested.
Among other things, the 'Ndrangheta clans were trying to gain
control over carparks near Milan's Malpensa Airport, judicial
sources said.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
