29 mafiosi sentenced to 230 years prison

(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.