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Messina Denaro: Notorious Italian Mafia boss dies
... The 61-year-old was thought to be a boss of the notorious Cosa Nostra Mafia and spent 30 years on the run before he was detained in January...
Shops asked to halt mafia-themed Scotch whisky orders
... The call by the Portman Group, which regulates the UK s alcohol sector, came after it found that over its " Cosa Nostra" product...
Italian mafia: Police arrest 61 suspected 'Ndrangheta in widespread raids
... It is just one of the 150 families that form part of the Ndrangheta s criminal network, which has surpassed Cosa Nostra as the most powerful mafia group in the country and operates in more than 40 countries around the world...
Italian fugitive Edgardo Greco tracked down as pizza maker after 16 years
... While Messina Denaro was the " boss of bosses" for Sicily s notorious Cosa Nostra, Greco was part of the Ndrangheta organised crime mob who originate from the Calabria region in Italy s deep south...
Messina Denaro: Second Mafia boss bunker found by Italian police
... The killings are only two of the crimes Messina Denaro - a former boss of the powerful Cosa Nostra organised crime group - has been found guilty of...
Matteo Messina Denaro: How Mafia boss was caught on a visit to a clinic
... During his time at the top of the Cosa Nostra organised crime syndicate, Messina Denaro oversaw racketeering, illegal waste dumping, money-laundering and drug-trafficking...
Italy's most-wanted mafia boss arrested in Sicily
... He is alleged to be a boss of Sicily s notorious Cosa Nostra mafia...
Italian Mafia: 'Ndrangheta members convicted as Italy begins huge trial
... The Ndrangheta rose to prominence after the maxi trials of the late 1980s, which significantly weakened Sicily s Cosa Nostra mafia families...
Italian Mafia: 'Ndrangheta members convicted as Italy begins huge trial
An Italian Court has sentenced 70 members of the powerful mafia group, the 'Ndrangheta, in The First stage of the biggest mafia trial in decades.
Defendants faced charges including attempted murder and extortion.
Over The Next two years, 355 alleged mobsters and corrupt officials will face court for their involvement with Italy's richest and most powerful Organised Crime group.
Hundreds of lawyers and nearly a thousand witnesses are involved.
Saturday's " maxi trials" took place behind closed doors in a specially converted courtroom in the Calabrian city of Lamezia Terme .
Those accused had opted for a speedy trial which allowed them to have their sentences reduced by a third if found guilty. Judges handed six of those convicted the maximum 20-year sentence that prosecutors had asked for.
Another 21 defendants were acquitted.
The 'Ndrangheta is a sprawling criminal network consisting of some 150 families. This trial is targeting just one of those: The Mancuso family.
The lengthy charge sheet includes an array of drugs charges, murder, attempted murder, extortion, loan sharking, disclosure of Official Secrets and abuse of office.
Alleged boss Luigi Mancuso, 67, who goes by the nickname " the Uncle" and ex-senator Giancarlo Pittelli , 68, who prosecutors have alleged was his white-collar fixer, will face longer court trials at a later date.
BACKGROUND: EXPLAINER: PROFILE:Leading the case is Nicola Gratteri , one of Italy's most respected anti-mafia chief prosecutors. He has spent decades tackling The Italian crime gangs and as a consequence has lived under police protection for More Than 30 years.
Mr Gratteri vowed earlier this year to Take Down " this asphyxiating 'Ndrangheta, which truly takes The Breath and the heartbeat from the people" and told reporters that Saturday's sentencing had " gone very well".
The 'Ndrangheta rose to prominence after the maxi trials of the late 1980s, which significantly weakened Sicily's Cosa Nostra mafia families.
The 'Ndrangheta is involved in a wide range of illegal activities, but it specialises in cocaine trafficking and is believed to control about 80% of Europe's trade.
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To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Academic John Dickie joins an elite Special Forces squad as they search for the mafia's secret bunkersSource of news: bbc.com
