Horse head and load -bearing cow as a mafia threat in Sicily

Horse head and load -bearing cow as a mafia threat in Sicily

The discovery of a separated horse head and a beef divided into pieces with its bloody calf has shaken a city in Sicily. The authorities consider the incident as a threat of the mafia.

creepy discovery in Altofonte

The dead animals were found on the property of a building contractor in the city of Altofonte, near Palermo, as the CNN police said. The disturbing scenery is reminiscent of the cnn.com/2020/12/03/entainment/the-godfather-coda/index.html"> Film "Der God finds.

statement by the building contractor

The building contractor, whose name is not mentioned for investigative reasons, explained to the police that he had not received any threats before discovering the dead animals that were on an adjacent property. He often carries out construction work for the local community that has tried to exclude Mafia-refiliated companies from public orders. Nevertheless, he stated that no group who demanded money or favor was contacted.

Mafia threat or attempted intimidation?

A police spokesman said CNN that the incident was treated as a intimidation tactic of the mafia. These terrible events could be in connection with the recent release of 20 mafia members from local prisons, whose prison terms have expired and which may strive for revenge. "We must not lose our vigilance, the fight against the mafia has become more difficult with the freedom of these men," said Maurizio de Lucia, head of the anti-mafia directorate, in September.

reactions to the incidents

The Mayor of Altofonte, Angela de Lucia, showed "Petrified" (petrified) when she heard about the incidents. "I can't understand such barbarism," she said to local media. "This act moves us back to the Middle Ages."

intimidation tactics of the mafia

The use of dead animals, mostly dogs, but also horses, is not an isolated case on the southern Italian island. This tactic has been used by the notorious Mafia Syndicate Cosa Nostra for decades. In recent years, several similar incidents have been reported in which beheaded animals threatened local business people. In 2023 the head of a pig was found in front of a police station, while a local building contractor discovered the head of one of his goats on his garden gate.

The history of organized crime in Sicily

Organized crime on Sicily has been a problem since the 19th century when the Cosa Nostra was first identified. The violence reached its climax in 1992, when the two anti-mafia judges Paolo Borsellino and Giovanni Falcone were murdered in separate bombings. In recent years, the Cosa Nostra, in cooperation with the Calabresian syndicate 'Ndrangheta, has turned more from open violent crime to economic crime and the infiltration of local governments and industries such as construction and waste management.

extortion and protection money

Despite these changes, the extortion and demanding of protection funds, also known as "pizzo", remains an integral part of mafia activities. In a criminal case from 2023, 31 people who had supported local mafiami members were convicted by lodging the fact that they had paid protection money to the group. In 2023, Matteo Messina Denaro, a Sicilian mafia boss that was on the run for 30 years, was taken to flee while looking for cancer treatment in Palermo. This arrest illustrates the extent of the accomplice that continues to protect and support criminal companies.