Among the Cosa Nostra members arrested in Sicily were many of its leaders

The largest operation in 40 years involved more than a thousand local carabinieri, who were also joined by specialists from the Palermo anti-mafia unit, canine services, air support and other security agencies in the country.

According to Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, the raid resulted in the arrest of more than 180 suspects, including several high-ranking members of Cosa Nostra. They are accused of a wide range of crimes, from involvement in mafia structures to attempted murder, racketeering, drug trafficking, illegal arms trafficking and running illegal online casinos.

In the 80s and 90s, Cosa Nostra exercised broad control over the settlements of Sicily, engaging in racketeering of entrepreneurs and receiving significant income from drug trafficking. Over time, law enforcement agencies managed to significantly undermine the influence of this group, as a result of which the leading positions in the criminal world were taken by the Calabrian Ndrangheta.

However, Cosa Nostra retains its criminal influence, although it now operates differently. The leaders of the organization prefer to resolve conflicts diplomatically, avoiding the attention of law enforcement.

The organization also modernized its management methods: traditional face-to-face meetings were replaced by coordination via secure communication channels on smartphones. Law enforcement officers found that even imprisoned members of the group had access to mobile phones, which allowed them to continue to manage the organization remotely from prison. The police are currently trying to gain access to the criminals' encrypted correspondence.