Interpol taskforce targets Calabrian mafia, the Ndrangheta

Interpol has launched a massive global initiative to go after the Calabrian mafia behind some of Australia’s worst crimes.

Frank Madafferi is serving 10 years. Picture: David Crosling

Interpol has launched a massive global initiative to go after the ’Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia at the centre of some of Australia’s most notorious crimes.

The initiative announced by Interpol and funded by Italy’s Department of Public Security will target the mafia in the 32 countries where it has established a presence.

Interpol secretary-general Jurgen Stock said the goal of the Interpol Co-operation Against ’Ndrangheta project was to help law enforcement agencies around the world to more effectively identify and tackle such complex groups.

“The ’Ndrangheta is among the richest and most powerful organised crime groups,” Mr Stock said. “It has repeatedly proven its skill in infiltrating political and economic environments, and (has) a remarkable capacity for corruption.

“Whilst there have been successes at the bilateral level, the I-CAN project will see increased co-operation and operational activity between countries using Interpol as a global platform.”

The ’Ndrangheta is said to control about 80 per cent of Europe’s cocaine trade and is estimated to generate annual revenue of $US55bn ($82.2bn).

It has become notorious for its size and sophistication, as well as its infiltration of seemingly legitimate enterprises. According to Interpol, it has “acquired direct or indirect control of companies operating across all areas of society including the construction, catering, import and export, transport, gaming and betting, waste collection and disposal businesses”.

“Taking advantage of advances in technology, the ’Ndrangheta also uses the deepweb and Darknet to carry out illicit commerce,” Interpol said.

In Australia, the group has been better known as L’Onorata ­Societa — the Honoured Society — and first came to national prominence when it ordered the killing of Griffith anti-drugs campaigner Donald Mackay in 1977.

The Interpol launch comes after Italy’s top anti-mafia prosecutor renewed calls for Melbourne crime figure Frank Madafferi to be deported from Australia when released from jail.

The Calabrian has been serving a 10-year sentence for his part in a conspiracy to import 4.4 ­tonnes of ­ecstasy pills into Australia in tomato tins, and faces extortion and gun charges in Italy.

The Australian has previously revealed that immigration authorities have told Madafferi, 58, that he will be deported once he is released from jail.

But he has reportedly been considering appealing his conviction because of information provided to investigators in the tomato tins case by barrister-turned-police informer Nicola “Lawyer X” Gobbo.

Italian anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri said in December that “it’s important that he be extradited, Australia should do all it can to send him back to Italy”.

Other Calabrian-linked crime figures, including local boss Pasquale Barbaro, were also convicted over the ecstasy bust.