Hundreds of illegal immigrants were arrested in a nationwide roundup in Italy yesterday, with dozens immediately deported.

The operation followed rising anxiety in Italy over the scale of illegal immigration, with tempers flaring in Naples where vigilantes set alight a Roma gipsy camp.

Silvio Berlusconi was elected to a third term as prime minister last week after promising to crack down on illegal immigrants who are blamed by many Italians for a rising crime rate.

In a massive police operation yesterday, police raided addresses stretching from Milan and Turin in the north, down to Rome and as far south as Naples.

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A total of 268 foreigners were arrested, all illegal immigrants, according to Italian police who carried out the raids with the help of Romanian officers.

Most of the arrested were held for further checks and possible charges over crimes.

But 53 were immediately booted out after being put on planes to their home countries or taken to land borders.

Police said the raids were part of a crackdown on thefts, break-ins, drug dealing and prostitution which have jumped in recent months.

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