Pomegranate – One of the biggest mafia trials in the history of Italy began on Wednesday in southern Italy. Hundreds of defendants are accused of working for a hideous criminal company with tentacles that reach so many places in the world that it is reportedly earning more money selling drugs than McDonald’s selling hamburgers.
If you’ve never heard of ‘Ndrangheta crime syndicate, this may have to do with the difficulty of pronouncing the name. (Approximately: DRAHN-get-ah)
The ‘Ndrangheta is based in the southern region of Calabria – for “toe” of Italy’s “boot” on a map – from which he coordinates a global drug trafficking network which generates tens of billions of euros every year, mainly with cocaine.
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There are more than 350 suspects in this case, including politicians and other officials accused of being members of the ‘Ndrangheta. About 900 witnesses will testify against them, and about 400 lawyers are also involved in the mass trial, which will be further complicated by coronavirus pandemic.
Authorities had to build a high-security, high-capacity court with space for 1,000 people – socially distant – just for the trial. Still, thanks to COVID-19, many of the defendants will appear via the prison’s video link.
Italian authorities are taking health and safety concerns very seriously. The last time he carried out a so-called “maxi-trial”, even comparable to this one, was in the 1990s, against the Cosa Nostra mafia in Sicily.
Shortly thereafter, its two chief judges were assassinated.