ROME – A regional deputy, a mayor and two advisors have been arrested in Sicily after an investigation by R.O.S. – the special operations group – coordinated by the Catania Prosecutor’s office has shed light on how the Mafia has managed to infiltrate the governmental institutions. 

 The first to be arrested was Giuseppe Castiglione, the group leader of the M.P.A., Raffaele Lombardo’s pro-regional-autonomy party, in the Sicilian Regional Assembly and who was also the former president of the Catania city council. Nunzio Vitale, the Mayor of Ramacca and Salvatore Fornare, the vice-president of the community. 

 A further 19 received precautionary measure orders, one of whom was Matteo Marchese, an advisor to the commune of Misterbianco, who was elected as an Italia Futura representative but also a former representative of the M.P.A. The investigation sought to stamp out various mafia associated crimes such as extortion, drug trafficking and dealing, fraudulent transfer of assets and mafia-political electoral exchange.

 Following this, a preventive seizure order was also executed for companies and assets worth at least 300,000 euros.

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