An air-to-air missile was among an arsenal of weapons seized by counter-terrorism police in Italy in a raid on far-right extremists.

Three people were arrested after uncovering the huge stash of automatic weapons and Nazi memorabilia, including Fabio Del Bergiol, a former customs anti-fraud inspector who stood for the Senate for FN in 2001.

Among the haul linked to the ultra-right group Forza Nuova were nine assault weapons, nearly 30 hunting rifles, pistols and bayonets as well as ammunition and antique Nazi plaques featuring swastikas.

Neo-Nazi propaganda linked to the far-right group Forza Nuova. Credit: AP/Italian Police

The raids across several northern cities in Italy were the culmination of a year-long operation by the Turin branch of the General Investigations and Special Operations Division who are investigating Italian far-right help for Russian-backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine.