Some 336 people have been placed
under investigation in a probe into Cosa Nostra-run illegal
online betting across Italy and abroad.
Some 23 people were arrested in Sicily, Emilia Romagna, Puglia,
Germany, Poland and Malta.
Anti-mafia police have charged them with illegal betting, tax
evasion, aggravated fraud and money laundering.
They were also charged with favoring the Catania-based Cosa
Nostra clan Santapaola-Ercolano, run from jail by superboss
Benedetto 'Nitto' Santapaola.
Police seized some 80 million euros in assets in the probe.
Those investigated are accused of running the illegal online
betting platform "Raisebet24.com", based in Malta.
The proceeds from the scam, amounting to over 62 million euros,
were then recycled in Italy and Germany, police said.
Police also seized some 180,000 euros in cash hidden in the
false bottom of a car.
The anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) commented on the
case saying "illegal betting is a prey of the Mafia".
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