31 Sicilian Mafioso Arrested; New "Directory" Ruling Body Identified
They face a variety of Mafia-related charges, including murder, kidnapping, extortion, robbery, illegal possession of firearms and arson.
Two pentiti, Sergio Flamia, a former hit man, and Enzo Gennaro, assisted in the investigation.
The investigations, in particular, documented the existence of a "Directory," a provincial decision-making body, which was used to establish the existence of a small group of bosses. In charge, according to police, was Giuseppe Di Fiore, who was referred to as the "head of water."
The investigation revealed 44 cases of extortion. Sixteen construction companies and other commercial interests were involved. "For the first time... as many as 20 victims have confirmed the extortion pressure to which they were subjected to, some for decades," according to one official.
The provincial commander of the police, Pierangelo Iannotti, who along with his men ran the investigation and discovered the crimes.
The Bagheria clan has always been one of the most aggressive and dangerous in Palermo, as well as all of Sicily; this borgata was identified as the perpetrator of the murder of Anthony Canu of Caccamo, on January 27, 2006, and the attempted murder of Nicasio Salerno, also from Caccamo on August 23, 2005.