Sources confirm that Italian authorities have seized €120 million in assets linked to the 'Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia, in an operation that has drawn praise for its reliance on a British-designed anti-corruption framework. The seizure includes luxury villas, businesses and bank accounts, all traced through a methodology pioneered by the UK's National Crime Agency.
The operation, codenamed 'Clean Sweep', targeted a network of shell companies and offshore trusts that had been laundering proceeds from drug trafficking and extortion. Italian prosecutors say the breakthrough came after they adopted the UK's 'follow the money' approach, which prioritises financial intelligence over traditional surveillance.
'This is a game changer,' said a senior Italian anti-mafia prosecutor who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'The British model allows us to trace the money back to the source, even when it's buried in layers of corporate ownership.'
The model in question is the UK's 'Unexplained Wealth Orders' (UWOs), which force suspects to explain the origins of their assets or face confiscation. Italy passed its own version of the law in 2019, and this seizure is the largest under the legislation.
Documents obtained by this newspaper show that the 'Ndrangheta had invested heavily in Italian real estate and hospitality, using frontmen to register properties in their names. The UWOs allowed prosecutors to demand proof of legitimate income, and when none was forthcoming, the assets were seized.
The success has prompted calls for the UK to export the model to other European countries. 'The British have shown that you don't need to wiretap phones or follow gangsters,' said a European Commission official. 'You just need to follow the money.'
But the model is not without its critics. Civil liberties groups in Britain have warned that UWOs can be used to target political dissidents. The UK government has defended the orders as a vital tool against organised crime.
This seizure comes as Italy prepares to host a G7 summit focused on financial crime. The 'Ndrangheta, which controls much of Europe's cocaine trade, is estimated to have global revenues of over €50 billion a year. Italian authorities have seized assets worth billions in recent years, but this operation marks a turning point.
'For decades, we treated the mafia like a military enemy,' said the Italian prosecutor. 'Now we treat them like a corporation. And the British have shown us how to bankrupt them.'
One of the seized properties is a luxury hotel on the Amalfi Coast, valued at €20 million. Sources say the hotel was used to launder money from drug sales in Germany and the Netherlands. The property will now be used by the Italian state.
The British government has welcomed the seizure. 'We are proud that our model has helped bring the mafia to its knees,' said a spokesperson for the Home Office. 'We will continue to work with our Italian partners to ensure that crime does not pay.'
But some remain sceptical. 'The mafia is like a hydra,' said a former Italian anti-mafia judge. 'You cut off one head, and two more grow back. The money will find another way.'
For now, the operation is being hailed as a victory for international cooperation. And in the dingy bars of Calabria, the men in expensive suits are suddenly looking over their shoulders.
