The recent arrests of 19 individuals linked to hardcore football fan groups in Milan underscore a troubling nexus between organized crime and ultras, highlighting illicit activities perpetuated within the football culture, including extortion and violence that threaten safety at sporting events.
Milan prosecutor Marcello Viola described the investigation as complex, involving various state police branches to uncover criminal ties between the ultras and mafia influences, particularly highlighted by the murder of Antonio Bellocco, a powerful figure within the 'Ndrangheta.
Following heightened tensions after Bellocco's murder, police have taken action, including banning numerous individuals from attending sporting events, to combat the pervasive influence of mafia connections embedded within the culture of football fandom in Milan.
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