(ANSA) - Milan, November 18 - Milan Prosecutor Ilda Boccassini said that the authorities had captured a 'Ndrangheta swearing-in ceremony for the first time during an two-year investigation that led to the arrest of 40 suspected mafiosi on Tuesday. "It's the first time that the swearing in, with the awarding of roles and tasks, has been documented live," Boccassini said. Three of the 'Ndrangheta suspects arrested on Tuesday were put under house arrest while the rest were taken to jail.
Prior to this details of the ceremony for the bestowal of the 'santa', the highest level of 'ndrangheta affiliation, had only ever been recounted by former mobsters turned state's evidence. The arrests were carried out on charges of mafia association, extortion, and illegal possession of weapons across the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto and on the southern island region of Sicily.
Investigators claimed the suspects belonged to three clans of the Calabrian-based syndicate operating in the northern provinces of Como and Lecco in Lombardy where they had infiltrated the local community.
The film of the affiliation ceremony was made during a convivial gathering of members of the three clans known as a 'mangiata' (feast) and includes references to Mazzini, Garibaldi and La Marmora, three leading figures of the 19th century Risorgimento movement for Italian unification. Investigators claim Garibaldi represented the local clan leader, Mazzini the treasurer and La Marmora another high-ranking member.