Keep the Mafia, Deport the Sick

From the 7.340 report, Broadcast: 21/03/2006

Wait a minute, the government can deport a permanent resident at the blink of an eye but ---

An Italian police operation to disrupt mafia drug smuggling to countries, including Australia, has been frustrated by a decision here not to extradite four Australians who are allegedly members of the mafia. The Italians are seeking the extraditions of the four who are allegedly prominent local members of organised crime. Arrest warrants for the four men were issued in Italy two years ago but so far, the Australian Government has made no move to extradite them because it says there's insufficient evidence. Italian investigators disagree. And according to some Australian crime experts, law enforcement agencies here have become so pre-occupied with the threat of terrorism that they've taken their eye off organised crime.