(ANSA) Palermo, March 18 - A judge convicted 29 mobsters
from the feared Porta Nuova clan of Cosa Nostra Wednesday on
charges of extortion and drug trafficking and sentenced them to
a total of 230 years in prison.
The stiffest sentence was handed down to the Palermo clan
kingpin Alessandro D'Ambrogio, aged 41, nicknamed 'u nico'
(shorty), who received a 20 year prison term from Judge Roberto
Riggio in the fast-track trial.
The trial followed an inquiry that broke up the clan in the
Sicilian capital in 2013, ending the control of D'Ambrogio over
all criminal activity in their territory including giving
permission to street sellers of Sfincione, typical Palermo
pizza, to work.
At one point Shorty banned 'men of honour' from attending
the wedding of the daughter of a mafioso because she married the
son of a policeman, the court heard.
The Porta Nuova don also decided to take his organisation
back into drug dealing when extortion failed to generate high
enough profits.
As well as controlling street sales of drugs, the caln
sought to establish direct links with cocaine producing
countries, the court heard.
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