Overview

• Italian and German authorities arrested 29 individuals, including a German police sergeant, during coordinated raids targeting the 'Ndrangheta mafia group.
• The German officer was charged with breach of confidentiality for allegedly supporting the criminal organization.
• Investigators uncovered a food scam in which fake German companies ordered high-value goods, such as cheese and olive oil, without payment.
• The stolen goods were distributed to local restaurateurs, who reportedly paid under threat of retribution.
• This operation is part of a broader international effort, launched in 2020, to dismantle the 'Ndrangheta's global criminal network, which dominates the European cocaine trade.