Six gaming companies registered in Malta had their assets seized as part of a clamp-down by Italian police on illegal gaming activities and money laundering linked the the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta'.
The Malta-registered gaming companies were part of a network in Italy, Austria, Romania and Spain.
The companies involved are Uniq Group Ltd, Uniq Shopping Ltd, Tebaral Holding Ltd, Tebaral Trading Ltd, Betsolution4U Ltd and Fast Run Ltd.
The Italian police have seized assets worth €2 billion and issued 41 arrest warrants in raids on gambling companies in Italy and abroad run by the 'Ndrangheta mafia organisation.
Police believe the firms were used to launder vast sums of illicit cash.
Six Italians, five men and one woman, were arraigned today and consented to their extradition to Italy. They are wanted in Italy over association in organised crime. European Arrest Warrants were issued for the six in June.
Lawyer Joe Giglio, who appeared for the Italians along with Stephen Tonna Lowell, said they were consenting to their extradition in order to be able to help the Italian investigation and prove that they had nothing to do with the allegations levelled against them.
The six are: Alessandro Ciaffi, 40, from Rome, Fortunato Stracuzzi, 37, from Messina, Mario Gennaro, 39, Francesco Ripepi 38 and his brother Rocco Ripepi, all from Reggio Calabria and Margerita Simona Gibetti, 34 from Bari. They will be held in custody until they are extradited to Italy.
Inspector Mario Cuschieri prosecuted.
MGA says it suspended licences of Uniq Group Limited (Betuniq) and Betsolution4U
The Malta Gaming Authority said in a statement that it has suspended with immediate effect the licenses of Uniq Group Limited (Betuniq) and Betsolution4U Limited. These operators have been operating in Malta since 2011. This measure followed investigations and arrests carried out by the Italian law enforcement authorities in collaboration with the Malta police.
"The MGA is providing full support to the relevant authorities so that Malta’s reputation as a gaming jurisdiction of excellence is kept free from crime and money laundering. The MGA is also alerting counterpart regulators in other EU jurisdictions about this case," the statement read.