Source: New Europe
May 13 2020
By Elena Pavlovska
Dozens of alleged members of the Sicilian mafia were arrested in simultaneous raids across the entire country, Italian media reported on Tuesday.
The arrests were made by the Guardia di Finanza, which is in charge of financial crimes and regularly tasked with bringing down organised crime figures. They also seized assets amounting to €15 million.
Among those arrested were 91 bosses, deputies, extortionists and figureheads of the Acquasanta, Arenella, Ferrante, and Fontana families, which have historically exercised control over parts of the Sicilian capital Palermo.
They are being charged with money laundering, drug trafficking, sports fraud, receiving stolen goods, extortion, and belonging to a mafia organization. Charges also relate to corruption in the Palermo fruit and vegetable market.
Authorities fear that the mafia may be using the coronavirus pandemic to increase its power even as violent crime dropped sharply because of the lockdown.
Police also arrested a former Big Brother contestant accused of acting as a frontman for the mob.
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