Italian Carabinieri have detained 22 suspects accused of orchestrating a campaign of bombings and intimidation targeting businesses in northern Palermo since November 2025. The investigation, coordinated by the District Anti-Mafia Directorate under prosecutor Maurizio de Lucia, focuses on the Tommaso Natale and San Lorenzo neighborhoods, including the Zen 2 district.
Nine suspects face charges of extortion, attempted extortion, and illegal possession of military-grade weapons, all aggravated by mafia association. Six others are suspected of running a drug trafficking network. Seven additional individuals already in custody are also implicated in the probe.
Among the alleged masterminds is Salvatore Verga, a 36-year-old currently imprisoned in Trani for drug offenses. Eight other suspects had already been detained in June 2026 as part of the same investigation into extortion activities that plagued the area for months.