A Mafia boss fed the poor in Palermo during the first COVID lockdown between March and May last year, sources said Tuesday after a police operation arrested 16 bosses and protection racketeers in the Sicilian capital.
The boss, Giuseppe Cusimano, was said to have been the "point of reference for the indigent" in the city's working class Zen district, police said.
Police said this was confirmation that Cosa Nostra is still trying to replace the Italian State in providing services and so gain cultural and social acceptance and support.
Cusimano, 37, told ANSA last April that "mine was a charitable action with the Padre Pio Association of the Zen (quarter) and with others in several other quarters, trying to collect for those in need".
Cusiamo, who is married with three children, said his charity work was disinterested and was only aimed at trying "to help people who don't even have a euro to feed themselves with".
Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando said the op was "further proof that Cosa Nostra is exploiting the economic malaise caused by COVID".
Tuesday's operation was the result of a probe which uncovered evidence that the Palermo bosses planned robberies with "war-grade arms", police said.
They also conducted "capillary-like" protection rackets.
Defence Undersecretary Angelo Tofalo said "today's operation is proof that the State is not retreating when faced with the mafia; it is stronger than the bosses".
The 16 people arrested have been charged with mafia association, attempted murder, extortion, damaging property, aggravated threats, and illegal weapons possession.
The op targeted the following three families, police said: Tommaso Natale's, Partanna Mondello's, and ZEN - Pallavicino.
Among those placed under investigation was a historic Cosa Nostra boss, Giulio Caporrimo, who was freed from jail after a long detention in May 2019 and had to reckon with the new clan leadership of Francesco Palumeri.
The probe also revealed that the bosses, in order to avoid telephone intercepts, staged summits in dinghies in Palermo harbour.
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