Switzerland extradites ‘Ndrangheta member from Wetzikon to Italy
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Switzerland has extradited a member of the ‘Ndrangheta organised crime gang, who was arrested at the end of January, to Italy.
The Federal Office of Justice stated, in response to an enquiry, that the person is currently in Italy. The authorities there are now responsible for taking further action. The handcuffs were clicked on at the end of January in a residential building in Wetzikon, near to Zurich.
The man had been wanted since January 2022 under an arrest warrant issued by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Catanzaro, Calabria, on suspicion of belonging to a Mafia organisation. In May 2022, he also came under investigation on suspicion of international drug trafficking.
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It is unlikely that this is an isolated case of a Mafioso going into hiding in Switzerland. Various criminal organisations are active here, the Federal Office of Police (Fedpol) stated in response to an enquiry at the time of the arrest. Europol estimates the number of criminal organisations active in Europe at more than 800.
The core activity of organised crime in Switzerland is drug trafficking. “Although Switzerland has so far been largely spared overt violence, there is a close network of organised crime in the country, with some structures that are extremely prone to violence,” according to Fedpol.
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Drugs, gambling and human trafficking
According to Fedpol, the spectrum ranges from family-based Italian mafia groups such as the ‘Ndrangheta, to groups from the Balkans that control parts of the local drugs market, to Turkish groups that are particularly dominant in the illegal gambling market.
In addition, there are networks from Asia that are primarily involved in human trafficking.
According to Fedpol, West African and Caribbean groups are also active in drug trafficking and human trafficking, as are groups from France and theft gangs from Romania.
The Swiss government approved a new strategy to combat organised crime in late 2025, warning that Switzerland’s central location in Europe and its prosperity make it attractive to criminal organisations.
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Suspected ‘Ndrangheta member arrested in Switzerland
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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
