Ecomafia crimes reach over 80 a day

 ROME-According to report by environmentalist association Legambiente 29,274 environmental violations have been committed within a year, equating to more than 80 a day and approximately three every hour.

 The 2014 analysis by Legambiente, who regularly monitor environmental crime, shows that the violations involve approximately 321 mafia clans. The eco-crimes relate to: food processing (25 percent), fauna (22 percent), waste (15 percent) and cement production (14 percent).

 A big portion of environmental crime (47 percent) concerns “the four main regions with traditional mafia presence” which are Campania, Puglia, Calabria and Sicily.

 Lazio appears to be the region with the most eco-crimes with 2,084 offenses. Meanwhile, the northern region with highest number of crimes is Liguria with 1,341.

 Among the provinces however, Naples is the most affected, followed by Rome, Salerno, Reggio Calabria and Bari.

 Legambiente also touches upon the criminal infiltration into the folds of the green economy, shopping centres and supermarkets.