Rome, Sep 18 (IANS): As many as 16 people were arrested in an anti-mafia operation in Italy Thursday, a media report said.

The suspects, arrested on various charges, including mafia association, usury, extortion and money laundering, included an alleged mobster and two well-known associates of the Sacra Corona Unita (SCU) crime syndicate that runs in Italy's southern Puglia region, ANSA news agency reported.

A former councillor in the town of Mesagne, two entrepreneurs, and a mafia boss were among the people arrested.

Police also seized assets worth one million euros (nearly $1.3 million) during the operation.

Investigations began in 2011 following a report from a regional councillor of ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party, Danilo Cristolla.

The FI councillor had approached loan sharks linked to the crime syndicate in a bid to pay off debts contracted to finance two earlier regional election campaigns, the ANSA report said.