Palermo (Italy), March 27 (IANS/AKI) Italian anti-mafia police arrested 21 people in Messina on Monday and impounded 10 million euros of assets in an operation against the Mangialupi clan's lucrative gambling racket in the port city.
Among those held were seven alleged Mangialupi members and 14 other suspects accused of drugs trafficking, extortion, robbery theft and illegal arms possession, police said.
Police seized 10 million euros of assets in Monday's operation including video slot-machine leasing and betting companies, a tobacco wholesaler, a luxury villa, 17 other properties, and a yacht.
The arrests were carried out by members of the Italian tax police's elite organised crime unit on the orders of Messina anti-mafia prosecutors.
The prosecutors also ordered three other suspects to report regularly to police as part of the operation.
--IANS/AKI
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