The crime syndicate has a significant presence in Switzerland since the early 1970s but has operated there with little scrutiny due to the inconspicuous life styles of their members , the Swiss legal landscape , and solid foundations in local businesses . In the aftermath of the San Luca feud in 2007 and subsequent arrests in Italy ( Operation " Crimine " ) , it became clear that the group had also infiltrated the economically proliferous regions of Switzerland and Southern Germany . In March 2016 , Swiss law enforcement in cooperation with Italian state prosecutors arrested a total of 15 individuals , 13 in the city of Frauenfeld , 2 in the Kanton of Valais , accusing them of active membership to an organized crime syndicate also known as " Operazione Helvetica " . Since 2015 , the Swiss federal police has conducted undercover surveillance and recorded the group 's meetings in a restaurant establishment in a small village just outside of Frauenfeld . The meetings were taking place in a relatively remote location using the now defunct entity the " Wängi Boccia Club " as its cover . According to the Italian prosecutor Antonio De Bernardo , there are several cells operating within the jurisdiction of the Swiss Federation , estimating the number of operatives per cell to about 40 , and a couple of 100 in total . All of the arrested persons are Italian citizens , the two men arrested in the Valais have already been extradited to Italy , and as of August 2016 , one individual arrested in Frauenfeld has been approved for extradition to Italy
San Luca feud
San Luca feud
'Ndrangheta