More than 51 million euros in
mafia assets were seized by police in Rome in the first two
months of this year, demonstrating police success at fighting
organized crime, Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Tuesday.
According to Alfano, since 2011 police have seized 1,474
properties including 256 companies, for a total value of 862
million euros from mafia groups in the capital.
He praised inter-agency cooperation on mafia
investigations.
Authorities have noted that wealthy and powerful mafia
organizations, including the 'Ndrangheta, the Camorra, and
Sicily's Cosa Nostra have been investing heavily in Rome
properties and businesses as a means of laundering proceeds of
crimes.
Seizures in Rome have included, in 2008, the exclusive La
Rampa restaurant near the Spanish Steps, frequented by TV and
film stars; in 2009, the Dolce Vita-era Cafe' de Paris on the
Via Veneto; and in November 2013 the Grand Hotel Gianicolo on
the Janiculum Hill overlooking Rome from across the Tiber, a
former monastery converted into a four-star hotel for the
Catholic Church's Jubilee in 2000.
Smaller bars and cafés have also been seized by anti-mafia
police in the capital city and earlier this month, properties,
luxury vehicles and financial assets belonging to alleged
'Ndrangheta affiliates were seized including the Cafe Fiume,
near Rome's central Piazza Fiume, as well as construction
companies.
In 2011, 300 apartments in Rome owned by the Camorra mafia
were seized.
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