Cesa probed in 'Ndrangheta case, steps down as UDC head

(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 21 - Lorenzo Cesa said Thursday that he had resigned as the leader of the centrist, opposition UDC party after being notified by criminal prosecutors that he was under investigation.
    La Repubblica's website reported that Cesa's Rome home had been searched as part of a big nationwide operation called 'low profile' targetting the 'Ndrangheta mafia.
    Cesa denies any wrongdoing.
    "I have received notification that I am under investigation for events dating back to 2017," Cesa said.
    "I consider myself to be totally innocent and I will ask, via my lawyers, to speak to the competent prosecutors as soon as possible.
    "As always, I have full and total faith in the judiciary.
    "And given the particular period the country is going through, I resign as national secretary (of the UDC) with immediate effect".
    The region of Calabria's budget chief, UDC member Franco Talarico, was put under house arrest as part of the 'low profile' op, sources said.
    The Calabria-based 'Ndrangheta is now widely considered to be Italy's most powerful mafia.
    The operation, coordinated by Catanzaro prosecutors, saw 13 people arrested and taken to jail while another 35 were put under house arrest, sources said.
    It involved around 200 State, Carabinieri and finance police and members of the DIA anti-mafia department, with the support of four dog units and a helicopter.
    Many of the suspects are seemingly respectable white-collar workers based in the province of Catanzaro, the sources said.
    These included public officials who were allegedly in cahoots with the mob and some important business people. (ANSA).