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Austrian father and son jailed for supplying guns to Italian mafia

The pair denied knowingly dealing with the mafia, insisting they had thought they were working with "vegetable traders".

Published: 15 October 2019 15:13 CEST
Austrian father and son jailed for supplying guns to Italian mafia
Guns seized by Italian antimafia police. Photo: Nunzio Mari/AFP

An Austrian court on Tuesday slapped jail terms on a father and son for supplying hundreds of illegal weapons to mafiosi from Italy's feared Camorra.

A court in Klagenfurt, Austria, gave the men, aged 74 and 48, jail terms of 24 and 20 months respectively after they were found guilty of supplying some 820 hand guns and dozens of Kalashnikov assault rifles to the group since 2011.

When the trial started, the pair had denied knowingly dealing with the mafia, insisting they had thought they were working with “vegetable traders”.

The pair can still appeal the verdict.

A Naples prosecutor announced in March that Italy and Austria had busted an international arms trafficking ring that supplied the Camorra with guns, including “weapons of war”, to start a war with other clans.

The year-long Italian investigation led to the arrests of 22 people, including the Austrian gunsmiths and several Camorra couriers.

The Camorra is one of Italy's three main organised crime groups, along with Sicily's Cosa Nostra, commonly known as the mafia, and the 'Ndrangheta, centred in the Calabria region.

READ ALSO: 'New generation' of young Italian mafia heirs arrested

 

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CRIME

UPDATED: Vienna police investigating possible ‘threat’ to Donau Zentrum shopping centre

The Viennese police have confirmed they are investigating a possible - and unspecified - threat to the popular shopping centre in the city's 22nd district.

Published: 29 April 2024 17:32 CEST
UPDATED: Vienna police investigating possible 'threat' to Donau Zentrum shopping centre

The Vienna police confirmed they are investigating a non-specified threat to the Donau Zentrum shopping centre, located in the Austrian capital’s 22nd district, a spokesperson told The Local. 

On Monday, pictures of an alleged internal document sent by the shopping centre to tenants circulated on social media and messaging apps. The document stated there was a “threat against the Westfield Donau Zentrum for April 30, 2024”. It stated that the authorities had been working to identify suspects since yesterday.

“The source of the threat is a photo circulating online”, the statement said without giving further details. “If we receive additional information or specifications, we will immediately inform you”, it added.

“There is currently no reason for you as an employee to worry as we are strictly following police guidelines”, the document said. It was signed by a manager of the shopping centre. The Local reached out to Donau Zentrum media representatives, who confirmed a threat against the centre.

“The Center Management of Westfield Donau Zentrum can confirm a threat against the center and is in ongoing communication with the relevant authorities. We are taking the situation seriously. The safety of everyone in the center is our top priority. After coordination with the authorities, the center will be open as usual today”, they said.

The Vienna police confirmed the veracity of the statement and added, “We are aware of the matter and are investigating,” they replied after an inquiry on their official social media channels. The Local reached out to the press office for further clarification but has not yet received a response.

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