ROME — Politicians, public servants, professors and businessmen were among dozens of people arrested near the Italian city of Naples Wednesday accused of being part of a corruption and bid-rigging ring linked to the powerful Camorra local Mafia.
A former mayor of Pompeii was among those targeted in early-morning raids in at least 10 towns. Officials said that 30 people were arrested with 36 others were put under house arrest.
Investigators believe the ring was run by the Zagaria, a family from the Camorra’s infamous Casalesi clan. They allegedly would ensure tenders were assigned to companies and individuals they had selected.
According to a report released by anti-mafia prosecutors on Tuesday, the Casalesi crime clan controls much of the sales of locally made buffalo mozzarella in southern Italy.
Last month, police arrested two daughters and a daughter-in-law of jailed Camorra boss Francesco Bidognetti. They were accused of carrying on the family organized crime business.
Bidognetti is serving a life sentence for murder. He has also been convicted of poisoning the water table in a town near Naples with toxic waste.