Ndrangheta mafia trial in Switzerland

A trial has commenced at the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona against a 59-year-old man accused of serving as a logistical and financial intermediary for the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta mafia in Switzerland. Prosecutors allege the defendant facilitated the import of cocaine and hashish from Italy and utilized Switzerland as a hub for the arms trade to supply weapons for mafia-related violence. Additionally, he is accused of laundering at least 1.3 million francs by transporting funds to Italy to support operations in Calabria.

As the proceedings progressed, the Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office requested a prison sentence of six years and three months. Prosecutors highlighted the strategic importance of weapons seized during previous arrests in the canton of Aargau and argued that the 'Ndrangheta has been embedded in Swiss social, economic, and institutional structures for decades. Evidence presented included recorded conversations and observations of the defendant’s efforts to avoid detection. The prosecution characterized the defendant’s refusal to provide new testimony as an adherence to the code of omertà.