Police arrested 181 suspected Cosa Nostra members on Tuesday in a large operation linked to a Palermo investigation into the Mafia.
Investigators found jailed Mafia bosses continued to coordinate criminal activities, including drug trafficking and mobster meetings, using smuggled micro-SIM cards and encrypted phones. Police said the mafiosi aimed to rebuild the cupola, or central council, under a new boss, following leaders like Totò Riina and Bernardo Provenzano.
Prosecutors revealed that a detained boss watched a brutal beating of a subordinate via video link on a smartphone. They also said jailed and outside bosses received police raid warnings from informants.
Regaining wealth and position
Investigators found Cosa Nostra regained past wealth by expanding drug trafficking and distribution operations. Palermo prosecutor Maurizio de Lucia also said clans bought weapons on the Dark Web and controlled entire Sicilian districts through protection rackets.
“Bosses on the outside feared criminal probes and were ready to flee.”
“Today’s arrests confirm Cosa Nostra remains active, communicates via new channels, conducts business, and attempts to rebuild its army,” de Lucia stated. “The operation shows the Mafia’s resilience but also the State’s ability to respond, despite staff shortages,” he added.
He thanked Additional Prosecutor Marzia Sabella for coordinating the investigation.
Meloni praises the operation
Premier Giorgia Meloni praised the operation, calling it an “extraordinary” success by Palermo Carabinieri that delivered a “severe blow to Cosa Nostra.”
“Wiretaps confirm it: ‘Italy has become uncomfortable for us, I must leave,’ admitted one arrested suspect,” Meloni said. She added: “This proves organised crime is struggling. The fight against the Mafia continues and will not stop.”
She thanked Carabinieri and police forces for defending legality and citizens’ safety daily. “The Mafia must be defeated with determination and without compromise. The State will not back down,” she declared.
National Anti-Mafia Prosecutor Giovanni Melillo warned of weaknesses in the high-security prison system under Mafia control.
“This Palermo investigation reveals alarming data: high-security prisons, meant to contain Mafia bosses under the 41 bis regime, remain vulnerable,” he said.
“Investigations show high-security prisons are dominated by crime,” Melillo stated. “This issue requires deep reflection.”
What is the 41 bis regime?
The 41 bis prison regime, introduced in 1992, imposes near-total isolation for Mafia leaders and other high-risk criminals. It restricts communication with the outside world, limits visits, and prevents criminal coordination from within prison. Authorities implemented it to curb Mafia influence and disrupt organized crime operations.
However, it would seem that it is not being controlled as it should. In December, a nun was arrested for acting as a conduit with ‘Ndrangheta mafia in prison.
