Bangladesh, Dec. 18 -- Italian and Romanian authorities have carried out a sweeping cross-border operation resulting in the freezing of assets worth more than €40 million, underscoring the growing scale and sophistication of organized crime networks operating across the European Union. The coordinated action, announced on December 17 by Eurojust, the EUs judicial cooperation agency, targeted property, businesses, and financial holdings allegedly linked to mafia activity spanning multiple jurisdictions.

At the center of the investigation is an Italian suspect described by Eurojust as a former crown witness who is now believed to have re-established connections with some of Sicilys most notorious criminal organizations. Investigators...