Michele Antonio Varano

Michele Antonio Varano

Michele Antonio Varano (Centrache (CZ), July 13, 1951) is an Italian criminal and a member of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organisation in Calabria.

Since 2000, he is on the Italian "most wanted list" for Mafia association, membership of a criminal association, tobacco smuggling and other serious crimes. Investigations have been extended internationally for his extradition.[1]

Cigarette contraband

Varano was arrested on May 12, 2009, in Gandria (Switzerland).[2] He is among ten people charged with laundering more than US$1 billion in a cigarette-smuggling money from the early 1990s until 2001, according to the Swiss office of the Federal Prosecutor.[3]

According to Italian judicial investigations the organisation illegally transported cigarettes between Italy and Montenegro using speedboats, with Montenegrin authorities collecting money on exclusive licences and transit fees. According to Italian prosecutors, the organisation received protection of Montenegrin prime minister Milo Djukanovic.[4][5] Officials in Montenegro deny wrongdoing.[6]

The contraband cigarettes were stored in Montenegro before being smuggled into Italy to be sold on the black markets in Naples and Puglia.[7] The Italian clients received more than 2 billion packets of cigarettes over the years. The proceeds were channeled to Swiss bank accounts by financial couriers.[3]

References

  1. ^ (Italian) Direzione centrale della Polizia Criminale - Programma Speciale di Ricerca - Varano Michele Antonio
  2. ^ (Italian) Arrestato Michele Varano, Corriere del Ticino, May 13, 2009
  3. ^ a b Swiss charge 10 in mafia cigarette smuggling case, Associated Press, October 6, 2008
  4. ^ (Italian) Così il contrabbando finanziava il Montenegro, La Repubblica, February 21, 2001
  5. ^ (Italian) Report of the Direzione Investigativa Antimafia, February 2, 2005
  6. ^ Montenegrin PM accused of link with tobacco racket, The Guardian, July 11, 2003
  7. ^ Prosecutors smoke out money launderers, SwissInfo, October 6, 2008

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