Major new police sweep against Naples-area mafia

ROME (AFP) — Italian police Tuesday announced a major new sweep against the Naples-area mafia, the Camorra, acting on 88 arrest warrants.

The operation targetted the Camorra's Gionta clan, whose boss Valentino Gionta is already behind bars, police said in a statement.

Gionta's wife Gemma Donnarumma was among those arrested, the police statement said, adding that property including real estate, bank accounts and company shares worth around 80 million euros (100 million dollars) was seized.

However a later statement from Naples prosecutors contradicted the police estimates and said the total value of property seized was "more than 50 million euros."

The suspects are accused of criminal association, murder, extortion, drug trafficking and other crimes. Gionta's 34-year-old daughter Teresa and his two sons Pasquale and Aldo were also arrested.

The Gionta clan has been active in Torre Anunziata, a southern suburb of Naples, since the 1970s, the statement said.

Police from Milan, Catania and Pistoia also participated in the anti-Mafia operation codenamed "High Tide". In total 76 people have been arrested so far, of which 11 were women, prosecutors said.

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