Italy's State police and the FBI on
Wednesday staged a series of operations to detain 17 people
suspected of belonging to, or being linked to, mafia families
active in Palermo and New York, sources said.
The suspects are accused of a variety of crimes, including mafia
association and extortion.
Investigators said the probe that led to the arrests showed that
the Gambino New York crime family continues to do business with
Sicilian mobsters, especially Palermo's Torretta, Partinico and
Borgetto clans.
They said they had uncovered evidence of American mafiosi
getting 'training' from their Sicilian "cousins" in using a
softer, less violent approach, which includes demanding smaller
amounts from extortion victims so they are less likely to turn
to the State for help.
The investigators said drug trafficking continues to be a
business that links the crime families across the ocean.
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