More than two dozen people have been nabbed in a crackdown on organized crime in Union County.

Union County prosecutors say some of the men were high-ranking officials in labor unions. According to prosecutors, Andrew Merola, a member of the Gambino crime family, was the target of their investigation. Merola allegedly ran a sophisticated illegal gambling operation that involved the Internet.

Authorities also busted Merola for loan sharking. Prosecutors say Merola also took part in another scam in connection with a construction project under the Goethals Bridge, which included Charles Muccigrosso, another member of the Gambino crime family. Muccigrosso now faces theft charges.

?[Muccigrosso] and Merola would cover for each other in a no-show scam and not show up for work and collect full pay for part time work,? said Union County Prosectuor Theodore Romankow.

Merola is also accused of soliciting a $20,000 bribe from an electrical workers union in exchange for not reporting the use of non-union labor by his associate, John Lanza. Lanza faces bribery and racketeering charges.