In addition, since a single electron travelling through the device emits light not once (as in most other lasers), but many times, quantum cascade lasers are powerful: Dr Capasso's group has recently shown that they beat conventional semiconductor lasers by a factor of 20.

ECONOMIST: Lasers

"You know that if you fire those three or four key members of staff the company would shut down immediately, and all the workers would lose their jobs, including those who have no links, " says Gianpaolo Capasso, the head of the agency in the Campania region.

BBC: Italy tackles mafia-owned businesses