Italian police has launched a major operation targeting the Sicilian Mafia in Palermo, issuing warrants for 183 individuals as part of a crackdown on Cosa Nostra clans.
More than 1,200 officers from across the island were mobilized at dawn, with the operation extending to other Italian cities, according to a statement from Palermo police.
The suspects face charges including mafia-type criminal association, attempted murder, extortion, drug trafficking, and illegal gambling.
The operation is aimed at dismantling the mafia strongholds in Palermo and its surrounding province.
The investigation has uncovered the extent of the clans’ drug trafficking activities and revealed how mafia bosses issue orders from prison using encrypted mobile phones, as reported by Corriere della Sera.
The Sicilian Mafia, also known as Cosa Nostra, which inspired the “Godfather” films, previously terrorized Italy with violent acts, including the 1992 murders of anti-mafia judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. After a strong state crackdown, the mafia’s influence has waned, with the ‘Ndrangheta, based in Calabria, emerging as Italy’s most powerful and wealthiest mafia group. The ‘Ndrangheta controls much of the cocaine trade into Europe.
Despite this, Cosa Nostra continues to exert significant influence in local government and businesses and maintains connections internationally.
