(UKPA) – 11 hours ago

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iudcTlfuA2ibIndEi2zeCs2UF4Dw?docId=B28126121296140123A0000

A judge has ruled that four men, including three from London, should be extradited to Italy over a 400 million euro (£344 million) mafia money laundering investigation.

Colin Dines, Andrew Dines, Andrew Neave and Paul O'Connor appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court where District Judge John Zani ruled they should be extradited.

The court heard they were accused of being part of a "trans-national criminal organisation consisting of more than 10 people" and "complicit in money laundering". No other details were aired in court.

The extradition relates to an investigation into Italian telecoms firm Fastweb.

Last year, the four men were arrested by Soca - the Serious and Organised Crime Agency - after European arrest warrants were issued on February 17.

Soca said it had been granted restraint orders against four houses worth a total of £25 million. Italian authorities arrested 56 people in the early part of last year.

At the time, Ian Cruxton, Soca's deputy director for proceeds of crime, said: "Preventing people under scrutiny from moving or profiting from their assets is an important means of safeguarding the integrity of investigations. Individuals who are later eliminated from inquiries have control of these assets returned to them, but criminals know that they will not be allowed to enjoy a lifestyle funded by their crime."

On Thursday, all four were granted bail. The defendants have seven days to lodge an appeal.

The men are Colin Dines, 66, of Slapton, Devon; Andrew Dines, 29, of Glamorgan Road, Kingston-Upon-Thames, Surrey; Andrew Neave, 43, of Belvedere Grove, London; and Paul O'Connor, 39, of St George's Road, Twickenham.

The men's bail conditions included each paying a £50,000 surety, surrendering passports and complying with a curfew order. The men declined to comment as they left court.