Assets worth $90 mn seized from Italian mafia

Rome, July 8 (IANS/AKI) A beach resort, a car dealership, 100 apartments, 200 cars, a yacht, bank accounts, insurance policies and shares estimated at 70 million euro (around $90 million) have been seized from the mafia in Italy.

Police seized five companies with head offices in Latina and Naples, including the car dealership, two building firms and two estate agents.

A total of 100,000 police officers were deployed in Monday's raids that targeted the mafia's Mallardo family and associates in Lazio, Campania, Sicily and Calabria regions.

The raids followed an investigation by prosecutors who noted the "constant and unstoppable" rise of three Naples businessmen -- Michele, Giuliano and Luigi Ascione in the Lazio region, police said.

The three brothers had formed a criminal association that trafficked drugs, ran an extortion racket, and laundered cash for the Mallardos.

Police in Rome area also seized 20 million euros of assets linked to the Calabrian mafia or 'Ndrangheta. The seized assets include a luxury villa in Formello, 18 companies and scores of bank accounts.

--IANS/AKI

pm/vt