The president of Italy's ruling Democratic Party in the southern Campania region, Stefano Graziano, is under investigation in an anti-mafia graft probe that on Tuesday led to nine arrests.
Graziano, who is also Campania regional councillor for the Democratic Party, is allegedly suspected of collusion with the Naples mafia or Camorra.
Police searched Graziano's residences in Rome and in the town of Teverola on Tuesday as well as his offices following an order by Naples anti-mafia prosecutors.
Biagio Maria Di Muro, the former mayor of the Campania town of Santa Maria Capua Vetere was among those arrested on Tuesday as part of the probe into alleged infiltration of public tenders by the Camorra's powerful Casalesi clan.
The suspects, who include businessmen and officials, face charges of mafia association, bid rigging and document forgery among other offences, according to investigators.
Investigators are probing the alleged backers of Graziano's 2015 electoral campaign, including restaurateur and businessman Alessandro Zagaria, who was among those arrested on Tuesday.
