An Italian man has been arrested in Amsterdam as part of a Europe-wide string of arrests on behalf of the Italian police investigating a mafia clan, the public prosecution department told Nos television.

The police had been working on information given to them by a woman who had at one time been held as a virtual prisoner by the Ndrangheta crime clan, the BBC said.

Other arrests were made in Italy and Germany.

The 46-year-old man arrested in Amsterdam is due to appear in court on Friday to face extradition proceedings.

Murder

In September last year, Dutch police arrested Francesco Nirta, 39, who was also said to be a member of the Ndrangheta, a violent mafia organisation based in the southern province of Calabria.

He was wanted for murder, firearms offences and mafia membership.

Another member of the clan, Giuseppe Nirta, was reportedly arrested in Amsterdam in 2008.