Dozens arrested in 'Ndrangheta op (2)

(ANSA) - Rome, July 19 - Police on Tuesday executed arrest warrants for at least 40 people suspected of being members of, or having links with, the Calabria-based 'Ndrangheta mafia. The suspects were detained in Calabria itself, the Lazio region around Rome, and in various northern regions including Liguria and Piedmont. Investigators suspect that a number of politicians and officials from the Italian tax agency were in contact with some of the arrested people, who are thought to be linked to the Raso-Gullace-Albanese and Parrello-Gagliostro clans and whose alleged illegal activities were concentrated in northern Italy.
    Investigators also seized assets including properties, companies and bank accounts worth around 40 million euros as part of Tuesday's operation.
    The clans are suspected to have muscled in on contracts for the Terzo Valico, a 6.2-billion-euro project for a new high-speed rail line between Genoa and Milan.