Police crack down on alleged Italian-Canadian Mafia in Europe

Police arrested17 people in sweeping pre-dawn raids in Europe on Tuesday, breaking up an alleged Italian-Canadian Mafia clan that was reportedly running major drug-trafficking and money-laundering operations.

After building their case for years, Italian police on Tuesday issued arrest warrants for the man they call the godfather of the Italian mafia in Montreal, Vito Rizzuto, 61,and his father, Nicolo (Nick) Rizzuto, the 82-year-old patriarch of the clan.

Italian police say theclan is headed bythe father and son, who have both been in prison since 2006.

During Tuesday's raids in Europe,at least 11 people were arrested in cities across Italy, while at least one person was detained in Cannes, France, according to Italian police, who worked with French and Canadian police on the operations.

Among those arrested in Italy were two bank workers who are alleged to have managed the clan's Swiss bank accounts.

Police said they seized assets, property and companies worth $212 million US.

Reputed successor named in warrant

Listed in the warrants were MontrealerFrancesco Arcadi, thought by some to be a possible successor to Vito Rizzuto, and Felice Italiano, a Montreal businessman who runs a leather company. Italiano was arrested during a business trip to Rome.

Warrants were also issued for Beniamino Gioiello Zappia, Rocco Sollecito, Robert Papalia and Vito Rizzuto's brother-in-law Paolo Renda.All are from either Montreal or Vancouver.

An RCMP spokesperson said the force "provided assistance" to Italian authorities, but refused to provide further comments.

Col. Paolo La Forgia, an official with Italy's anti-Mafia police, DIA,said the Rizzutos have been operating the clan from their jail cells in North America.

"From prison, they pulled the strings of their Italian colonies,"La Forgia said.

"It's quite common that people, being part of a mafia-type organization, can give orders even if they are in jail," said Silvia Franza, another DIA spokesperson.

Italy wants to extradite Rizzutos

Italian authorities say they hope to extradite the Rizuttos to Italy to face the new charges when they have finished serving their time in North America.

Vito Rizzuto is currently in jail in the United States, after being extradited to the country in August 2006 to face racketeering charges connected to the murder of three alleged gang leaders at a Brooklyn social club in 1981. Rizzuto was sentenced to 10 years.

His father, Nick, was among 69 people arrested during raids in Montreal in November 2006. He faces charges of gangsterism, conspiracy and importing drugs.

James Dubro, an author and expert on organized crime, told CBC News on Tuesday that the international police operation which included forces in Toronto, Montreal, New York, Italy, France and Switzerland targeted the family's money managers.

"The people arrested are people working on the money end of things, which is extremely important," he said. "To really impact an organized crime family, you have to get at their money, and if the figures are right, they're getting hundreds of millions of dollars, and that's going to really hurt them."