Italian authorities are vowing to investigate whether negligence or fraud in adhering to building codes played a role in the high death toll in last week’s earthquake.

Italian authorities have carried out about 170 arrest warrants in a major crackdown on the 'ndrangheta, an organised crime syndicate in southern Italy which officials say has become deeply rooted in the business world in the north.

Italian police say they have broken up an insurance fraud run by a crime syndicate that counted on the collusion of doctors, lawyers and car repair shop owners.