#Ndrangheta in Switzerland: public prosecution investigates 6 individuals for money laundering, importing counterfeit money, drug trafficking, and weapon trafficking. Is it an underestimated phenomenon? A short thread 1/

The #ndrangheta has been reportedly active outside of Calabria for a long time, reproducing the same organisational structure in places as far away as Canada and Australia (roughly since 1920s), but also in Europe, e.g. in Switzerland and Germany (roughly since the 1970s). 2/

In 1994 the scholar Letizia Paoli wrote: "The Calabrian 'Ndrangheta: an underestimated phenomenon" ( https://bit.ly/30uCMr6 ). Ten years later, @FraCalderoni et al. documented its presence around the world ( https://bit.ly/2ZQGhZP ) - is it still an underestimated phenomenon? 3/

While academic work on the international expansion of the #ndrangheta does exist (see @annasergi), it remains a fundamentally understudied phenomenon. Is it also underestimated by law enforcement and policy makers? 4/

#Switzerland declared the fight against the mafia a priority in 2020 and recognised that "until now we have underestimated it" (Head of @fedpolCH: ( https://bit.ly/2WJXcew ). This is a key first step, demonstrating a level of awareness unknown to many other countries. 5/

If #Switzerland has underestimated the presence of the #Ndrangheta (and other Italian mafias) on its territory, other countries have done so as well. Arguably the first country to have underestimated its problem with the mafia was Italy itself. 6/

Operation Impedimento ( https://bit.ly/3fR3Qr0 ) is important insofar as it signals that Switzerland is alert and willing to step up the fight against mafias. To be successful, however commitment needs to (1) be long-term and sustained (2) cross-border (3) politically backed 7/

Caveat: the very first step should be to understand the phenomenon one wants to fight. Advancing the understanding of the mafia "abroad" means (1) dialogue btw police and researchers (2) training of police forces (specialised and not), prosecution officers, etc. 8/