Italian police arrest around 150 people in major raid on Sicilian mafia
Around 150 people were arrested on Tuesday in a massive operation against the mafia in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, according to local police.
Over 1,200 police officers were involved in the early morning raids on the Cosa Nostra crime syndicate, a move Italian media described as the largest crackdown on the mob in nearly 40 years.
A total of 183 arrest warrants were issued for the mob's members, with 36 of the suspects already in custody, as stated by the Carabinieri.
The people arrested on Tuesday have been charged with various crimes, including extortion and being associated with organised crime groups, as well as drug trafficking and attempting to kill someone.
Having once had a tight grip on power in Sicily, Cosa Nostra's influence has weakened over the past 25 years or so. The arrests of many of its leaders, plus greater scrutiny from local authorities and an increase in locals who are willing to stand up to the mafia, has taken away the mafia's former dominance over the Mediterranean island.
The Carabinieri's statement said that Cosa Nostra had modernised and brought in new tactics to help the authorities miss it.
"The big shots of the Mafia tend to sort out their disagreements without making a fuss, keeping a low profile so they don't catch the eye of the coppers," it said.
For example, encrypted mobile phones are being sneaked into prisons to let jailed mafia members keep up their illicit activities from behind bars, while face-to-face meetings are being avoided in favour of digital communication, police said.
This enabled one local crime boss to remain under the radar for approximately two years while still directing illicit activities in his territory, as stated by the Carabinieri.
Although Cosa Nostra has been weakened, it still has a pull for young people. Police said a new recruit was shown the ropes by an older associate, who taught them how to behave when dealing with people being muscled for money and how to have a good relationship with the big bosses.
Drug trafficking is the most profitable illicit activity for Cosa Nostra. The group has connections with the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta — which has surpassed it as Europe's most powerful organised crime syndicate — to supply big quantities of narcotics, the Carabinieri said.
Writing on X later on Tuesday, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the arrests were "a real whack to Cosa Nostra" and that "organised crime is in a bit of strife".
"The battle against the mafia is ongoing and will not cease," she wrote.
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