An Italian man living near the Swiss capital has been handed a prison sentence for his membership in and support of the ’Ndrangheta, the Calabrian mafia.
Known as “Cosimo the Swiss”, the man played an important role in Giussano’s cell in Lombardy and had connections to clans in Piedmont and Calabria. For the mafia he bought weapons in Switzerland and brought them to Italy.
The court found that the man was involved in the activities of the local sections of the ’Ndrangheta in Giussano and Seregno near Milan from 2003 to 2011.
The court also convicted him of buying a stolen revolver and using weapons to guard a hemp field in canton Bern. The weapons, which were found in August 2015 during a raid of the man’s home, were confiscated. He also must pay court costs of CHF30,000 ($30,023).
Initially, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland had demanded four years of jail time. The Federal Criminal Court acquitted the man of charges of false accusation and misleading the administration of justice.
This content was published on
Nine men with links to Italian mafia group ’Ndrangheta are being extradited to Italy, the justice ministry has told Swiss Public Television, SRF.
Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?
Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.
New European space tech centre in Switzerland launches its first project
This content was published on
The European Space Deep-Tech Innovation Centre (ESDI), launched in collaboration with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), is to be located in the immediate vicinity of the PSI in northern Switzerland.
Swiss Federal Railways launches campaign for safety on public transport
This content was published on
The Swiss Federal Railways is launching a campaign for greater respect and safety on public transport, with posters to go up in stations and on trains starting next week.
Swiss scientists to use AI for improved weather and climate forecasts
This content was published on
MeteoSwiss and the Swiss Data Science Center have signed a four-year agreement to make greater use of AI in meteorology and climatology going forward.
This content was published on
Prices of owner-occupied homes rose in the third quarter of 2024 by 0.5%, with inflation affecting both apartments and single-family houses, says the Federal Statistical Office.
This content was published on
The honey harvest is projected to be lower than usual this year, as Swiss beekeepers report harvesting an average of just 16kg of honey per bee colony.
More young refugees in Switzerland following vocational training
This content was published on
More than half of young refugees and temporarily admitted persons between the ages of 16 and 25 are now in training. This is significantly more than five years ago.
One in five Swiss children suffers psychological abuse at home
This content was published on
In Switzerland, one in five children suffers psychological violence, and one in three has witnessed psychological violence between parents, says the association Kinderschutz Schweiz.
Swiss government minister breaks silence over Trump remarks controversy
This content was published on
Transport Minister Albert Rösti explained himself in a television interview on Sunday evening, after being called out for expressing support for Donald Trump.
Swiss Covid expert calls for caution on vaccination recommendations
This content was published on
The head of the vaccination commission would be “even more cautious today” when it comes to Covid-19 vaccination recommendations.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Two ‘Ndrangheta mafia members extradited to Italy
This content was published on
The two suspected mafia members were handed over to the Italian authorities in Chiasso on Thursday. They waived their right to appeal their extradition. The remaining ten of the Thurgau 12 arrested in March 2016 were placed under detention in anticipation of their imminent extradition. This was due to the increased risk of them fleeing…
This content was published on
The trial at the Federal Criminal Court against the remaining five members of a Calabrese gang ended on Monday. As the main suspect had already been cleared at the end of 2014, the Office of the Swiss Attorney General was forced to drop the charge of participation in an organised crime group against all 13…
Mafiosi arrested in 260-tonne Swiss chocolate heist
This content was published on
In August 2014, more than €7 million (CHF7.6 million) worth of chocolate was stolen from a Milan warehouse belonging to Swiss luxury chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli. Fifty tonnes of Lindor chocolate balls were later found in a warehouse in Nola, near Mount Vesuvius, and 20 tonnes in Sezze, between Rome and Naples, but the…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.