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Organised crime outstrips nations - Times Online

ROME The Italian organised crime group the 'Ndrangheta makes more money than some small European countries, a study by the Eurispes research group found.

The estimated turnover of the group, which has overtaken the Sicilian Mafia for drug trafficking, was valued at €44 billion (£35.5 billion) last year. This is the annual business equivalent of 2.9 per cent of the Italian gross domestic product for the same year and is equal to the combined GDP of Slovenia and Estonia. The 'Ndrangheta was responsible for the killing of six Italians at a pizzeria in Germany last August. It makes its money through drugs, extortion, arms trafficking and prostitution.

[Murdoch Alert]
by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Thu May 22nd, 2008 at 12:11:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Europe could practically dcripple the revenue streams of organised crime if every country abandoned prohibition and legalised drugs in a controlled, co-ordinated and safe way.

keep to the Fen Causeway
by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Thu May 22nd, 2008 at 06:38:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I suspect prostitution and the concurrent human trafficking is also a big money maker.  We see "human smuggling" in terms of illegal immigration being run by organized outfits in the US as well so it's probably the same in Europe.
by paving on Thu May 22nd, 2008 at 02:16:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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