On the slopes of Aspromonte, Pasquale Marando, the notorious mafia boss of Calabria, built a secret tunnel with access to a pizza oven.

More than 15 km away, Ernesto Fazzalari, who had a hobby of shooting at the victim's head, lived in a shelter of only 10 m2. When authorities sought him in 2004, Fazzalari, Italy's second most wanted mafia boss, was only behind Matteo Messina Denaro, Sicilian leader Cosa Nostra, who escaped through a secret tunnel under the sink. in the kitchen.

Before his arrest in 2016, Fazzalari spent 20 years in seclusion in the mountains of Calabria, southwestern Italy, where the 'Ndrangheta' mafia gang has for decades designed and built a series of complex "cities". beneath the villages.

These "underground cities" consist of many well-camouflaged bunkers, connected by seemingly endless tunnels, leading to countless hidden exits in sewers or in the middle of shallow rivers.

In order to "take the mice out of the cave", the Italian authorities established a special army unit, composed of highly trained soldiers called Carabinieri Heliborne Special Forces, or "Cacciatori" (Hunters). ).

Cacciatori has arrested nearly 300 criminals in the past 25 years. The cups they used were now on display in a room at Cacciatori headquarters, symbolizing the trophy. Cacciatori also contributed to the discovery of 400 underground tunnels, what investigators described as "the work of advanced technology".

Cacciatori was founded in 1991 with the goal of fighting kidnapping which was spreading throughout Calabria at the time. "But over time, this phenomenon almost disappeared. Instead, a new threat emerged. The old 'Ndrangheta mafia bosses were growing stronger and more daring," said Major Carmelo Aveni, Commander Cacciatori, explained.

Once mocked by the Sicilian and Campania mafia, 'Ndrangheta is now Italy's most powerful criminal gang with enormous wealth. A 2013 Demoskopita Institute study estimated that 'Ndrangheta's financial power is greater than both Deutsche Bank and McDonald combined, with annual sales of more than $ 58 billion.

According to investigators, the secret to success of 'Ndrangheta lies in its deep connection. Tycoons rarely give up their remote villages despite running millions of dollars in global lines. To protect themselves, they built emergency tunnels under their own houses, mountain tunnels and safe shelters deep in the forest, accessible only by walking.

"If we want to catch them, we need well-trained soldiers who can climb steep mountains, drop into ravines, jump off moving helicopters, can withstand the cold in days and still have to watch every movement of the target, "Aveni said. "And they have to do everything in the dark because we usually work only when night has fallen."

During night missions, Cacciatori was equipped with machine guns, night vision goggles and bulletproof vests.

"At first glance, the homes of tycoons are completely normal," Aveni said. "Everything makes you believe that there cannot be a tunnel or an underground tunnel. Then you start checking every corner of the house, from walls, floors, to stairs or even furnaces. "Pizza baking can lead to a tunnel. We even find walls with electrical appliances, just press the button, the wall will move."

"The underground tunnels are very narrow," Aveni described. "To move, they have to go like a snake. Some tunnels are up to 300 meters long and often lead to sewers connected to other houses."

Fazzalari's bunker in Aspromonte National Park features a TV, air conditioner, computer, weapons and saint's pictures and singer Madonna. Cacciatori occasionally finds Italian criminal books. Mafia bosses often study them before being tried.

The list of gang members' Ndrangheta is regularly updated, sometimes monthly. Captured tycoons will immediately have successors, usually sons, nephews or even wives.

Not all mafia members use tunnels or bunkers. Some take advantage of the surroundings to make their "shield". Girolamo Facchineri, 53, was arrested in March 2018, after hiding in a mountain shelter, hidden among the jungles of Cittanova.

The place is perfectly camouflaged among the vegetation and it takes a 40-minute walk through steep trails and across a series of rivers by new terrain vehicle. Facchineri lived alone there for two years, making friends with wolves and boars.

Is it worth it to risk your life building an empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars but having to live like a mouse? According to investigators, this very thought gave strength to 'Ndrangheta.

"The sacrifice of one's life for the development of a criminal family has two effects," said Nicola Gratteri, chief prosecutor of Catanzaro city. "On the one hand, the leader sent a message to his opponents, who could use it when he was absent to gain control, that 'I'm still here, I'm still in charge'. On the other hand, it sends a message to the investigating authorities that 'I'm still here and you can't arrest me' ".

After a long campaign in the night to reach the shelter of Facchineri, Cacciatori launched a raid at dawn, when the tycoon was making morning coffee. "The moment we broke the door, he was sitting in the chair, enjoying an espresso," recalls a member of Cacciatori who participated in the campaign in 2016. "He praised us, saying that we were very competent in determining his location."