A nun is among 24 people arrested in northern Italy for their alleged part in an extortion and drug trafficking racket organised by one of the most dangerous mafia mobs around.
Named in Italian press as Sister Anna Donelli, the bride of Christ has been accused of acting as a go-between for jailed ‘Ndrangheta mafia members at Milan’s San Vittore prison – where she volunteers – and gang members on the outside.
The suspects were taken down as part of a four-year investigation into the notorious mafia gang in the northern city of Brescia. The gang is one of Europe’s most influential and dangerous criminal organisations, the BBC reports.
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The 57-year-old Catholic nun earned a reputation for her work in Milan’s most deprived neighbourhoods. In February, she received the prestigious Milanese civic award, the Golden Panettone.
Authorities claim the Sister “acted as an intermediary” and took “advantage of her religious work, which allowed her full access to prisons.”
The Daily Telegraph reported, that in an intercepted phone call between one of the suspects, they allegedly told a contact: “if you need something inside, she’s one of ours.”
The complex investigation into the ‘Ndrangheta stated in 2020. Cops also arrested two politicians and seized more than €1.8m (£1.5m) worth of assets in raids across several towns in the Lombardy, Veneto and Calabria regions.
One of the politicians is reported to be from Georgia Meloni’s right-wing Brothers of Italy party, while the other is thought to be a member of the League held by deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, reports claim.
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A press release from the authorities who oversaw the operation did not name people targeted in the raid, however said they were accused of a number of crimes including mafia association, vote buying, illegal possession of weapons, money laundering, loan-sharing, drug dealing and false invoicing.
The gang is connected to the alleged issuing of €12million (£10million) invoices for fabricated transactions which enabled complicit parties to evade taxes, paying the mobsters a commission instead.
Originally hailing from Calabria, ‘Ndrangheta now operates across Europe and other parts of the world, and is Italy’s most formidable mafia organisation.