Dec 22 2006
An alleged mafia godfather will spend Christmas in Belmarsh high security prison while a court decides whether to extradite him to Italy.
Raffaele Caldarelli, 35, the suspected boss of the notoriously bloodthirsty Neapolitan mafia clan, the Camorra, has been on the run for more than a decade after he was convicted of gun running and drugs offences. Continue Reading »
Dec 21 2006
SCORES of people were arrested yesterday in a police crackdown on a Mafia clan in the southern Italian city of Bari.
The Carabinieri paramilitary police said that they were looking for more than 100 suspected mobsters in Bari. Continue Reading »
Dec 20 2006
The Government is to consider the introduction of anti-racketeering laws similar to those used in the US to target the Mafia, as part of a proposed legislative clampdown on serious organised crime.
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said yesterday the laws are being considered as part of a package that will also include reform of bail laws and possible amendments to the right to silence. Continue Reading »
Dec 20 2006
On the last day of his life, Pasquale Russo stopped by his favorite coffee bar in Qualiano, a suburb of the Italian city of Naples.
His morning espresso had hardly settled when two men wielding snub-nosed pistols jumped out of a stolen ambulance and pumped a lethal barrage into his face and chest. Continue Reading »
Dec 20 2006
ROME: Italian police said Wednesday they were arresting scores of people in a crackdown on a Mafia clan in the southern Italian city of Bari, including several women alleged to have a leading role in the organization. Continue Reading »
Dec 19 2006
The former UDC regional councillor David Costa was acquitted from the accusation of external participation in Mafia association. It was decided by the judge for preliminary hearing of Palermo Antonella Pappalardo who this morning deliberated in the council room.
The public prosecutors Roberto Piscitello and Massimo Russo had requested for David Costa 5 years of prison plus the prohibition to stay for one year in the province of Trapani at the end of the expiation of punishment. Continue Reading »
Dec 19 2006
SOFIA, Bulgaria – Krasimir Dimitrov was headed to lunch with friends at a restaurant on a busy street in Bulgaria’s capital. He never made it.
A gunman with a silencer pumped several bullets into the wealthy businessman’s head and body as he stepped out of his car. Continue Reading »
Dec 05 2006
A court in Messina, presided over by judge Bruno Finoocchiaro, sentenced 18 defendants including mafia boss Luigi Galli and other members of the mafia gang in Giostra to a total 218 years in prison. 16 other people were acquitted of all charges. Public minister Giuseppe Verzera had demanded a total 400 years in prison for all of the 34 defendants. Continue Reading »
Dec 05 2006
Reputed New England Mafia underboss Carmen “The Big Cheese” DiNunzio looked uncomfortable yesterday as he shuffled into court in leg irons. He didn’t speak, as his lawyer entered not guilty pleas on his behalf to charges of illegal gambling and extortion. Continue Reading »
Dec 05 2006
Bands of thieves are hijacking lorries containing Parmesan cheese in northern Italy and selling on the products for hard cash, adding to the woes of a struggling industry.
It sounds like the script to an eccentric film, but Parmigiano Reggiano cheese leaving Italy has become a genuine target for gangs with suspected links to the mafia. Continue Reading »
