Rome One of Italy’s largest mafia trials ever in history began in southern Italy on Wednesday. Hundreds of suspects are accused of working for a gruesome criminal enterprise with tentacles that reach so far around the world that it reportedly makes more money selling drugs than McDonald’s selling burgers.
If you’ve never heard of the ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate, it may have to do with how difficult the name is to pronounce. (Roughly: DRAHN-get-ah)
The ‘Ndrangheta is located in the southern region of Calabria – up to “toe” of the “boot” of Italy on a map – from which it is a global drug trafficking network this generates tens of billions of euros annually, mainly from cocaine.
GIANLUCA CHININEA / AFP / Getty
There are more than 350 suspects in this case, including politicians and other officials accused of being ‘Ndrangheta members’. About 900 witnesses will testify against them, and about 400 lawyers are also involved in the mass trial, which will be made even more complicated by the corona pandemic.
Authorities had to build a high security, high capacity courtroom with room for 1,000 people – at a social distance – just for the trial. Still, thanks to COVID-19, many of the defendants will appear from prison via video connection.
Italian officials take concerns about both health and safety very seriously. The last time it held a so-called “maxi-trial”, even comparable to this one, was in the 1990s, against the Cosa Nostra Mafia from Sicily.
Shortly after, the two chief judges were both murdered.