More than 200 defendants in Italy’s biggest criminal trials have been sentenced to 2,200 years in prison.
The BBC report said the individuals were linked to Europe’s most influential criminal organization.
Those convicted included a former senator, civil servants and other high-ranking officials.
A Senator Turned Criminal
The trial also shed light on the potential of Ndrangheta, one of Europe’s most prominent criminal organizations.
One convicted includes Giancarlo Pittelli, a lawyer and a senator for Silvio Berlusconi’s party, Forza Italia.
The gang accumulates around $60 billion in annual revenues and controls 80% of Europe’s cocaine market, BBC wrote.
Judges Put Under Police Protection
Judges who presided over the case were put under heavy police security amid concerns of assassination attempts by Ndrangheta.
The trial took place in a call center, turned into a high-security court room, enough to accommodate 600 lawyers and 900 witnesses.
