34 arrested in crackdown on 'mafia-like' network

Italian police said they arrested 34 people Wednesday in a vast operation against a mafia-like Nigerian organisation operating in Rome and other cities of Italy.

The arrests came a day after Mario Riccio, a "most wanted" mafia boss belonging to Camorra was arrested in the southern city of Naples.

Thirty Nigerian and four Albanian men were among those arrested Wednesday, Xinhua reported citing the police. Those arrested were charged with human trafficking, flesh trade, and drug trafficking.

The operation was carried out by the Carabinieri, the Italian military police, in close cooperation with the authorities of the African Republic of Togo.

The Nigerian organisation had allegedly built up a wide network to smuggle young women from several African countries to Italy.

The group worked with "mafia-like" organised crime methods, reinvesting the money in drug trafficking and other illegal activities, police said.

The victims were deceived and lured with promises of legal jobs, each paying up to 70,000 euros ($94,500) for being smuggled into Italy.

Once there, they were induced into prostitution to repay their debts and threatened with violence against their families if they tried to disobey, according to police.

Italian police started investigation in 2010 and uncovered the entire international smuggling network, Carabinieri Special Force commander Mario Parente told reporters in Rome Wednesday.