Catholic nun arrested over connections with mafia network in Italy

The Italian police have arrested a Catholic nun, along with 23 others, on charges of being associated with one of the most notorious mafia gangs of the country, according to a report by the BBC.

During operations conducted in various towns in the Lombardy and Veneto regions, as well as in Calabria in south Italy, police detained two politicians and confiscated assets valued at over €1.8 million (£1.5 million).

The nun, reportedly named Sister Anna Donelli, was arrested on grounds of serving as an intermediary between the 'Ndrangheta mafia and its jailed gang members.

All individuals detained on Thursday (December 5) by the Italian police are charged with a long list of mafia-related offenses, including aiding and abetting extortion, drug trafficking, and money laundering.

The 'Ndrangheta, one of the most powerful and violent criminal organisations in Europe, was the subject of a four-year investigation which eventually led to these arrests.

Claims that the nun took advantage of her role as a prison volunteer are detailed in statements issued by the consortium of law enforcement authorities that carried out the sting operation.

According to Brescia Carabinieri (civil police force in Brescia), the nun was a very unlikely suspect who had "free access to the penitentiary facilities" because of her religious background.

The politicians and other people targeted in the probe were not mentioned in police statements.

A number of police personnel are still conducting raids across northern Italy as part of the ongoing operation.

"She carried orders, directives, moral and material aid to associates, receiving in turn from the prisoners useful information to better plan criminal strategies," revealed prosecutor Francesco Prete at a press conference while announcing the arrests, as per CNN.