Palermo, 16 Jan - Thirty-nine leaders and members of the mafia organization under Salvatore Lo Piccolo were arrested over the night in a police operation in Palermo. The name Addio Pizzo was given to the raid which dismantled the leadership of the San Lorenzo and Porta Nuova groups and led to the identification of the heads of the Partanna Mondello, Cruillas and Altarello "families". Over 200 members of the flying squad took part in the sweep-up operation, which also led to the bringing to light of many members of the Brancaccio, Pagliarelli, Noce, San Lorenzo and Partanna Mondello families. Some of those arrested are being held in jail, whereas others have been formally arrested. The charges range from mafia-related criminal association, extortion and arms possession. The investigation was for the most part based on the deciphering of 'pizzini' (small slips of paper used by mafia-type groups to communicate) and other documents seized from Salvatore Lo Piccolo and his son Sandro at the time of their arrest on 5 November in a Giardinello villa about thirty kilometres from Palermo. Investigators also made use of 6 former criminals who collaborated with the justice system. During investigations, those behind the August burning down on a large hardware and paint warehouse owned by the entrepreneur Rodolfo Guajana were identified, as well as all the shopkeepers and entrepreneurs who paid protection money to Lo Piccolo. The investigation was coordinated by associate prosecutor and Alfredo Morvillo and deputy prosecutors Domenico Gozzo, Gaetano Paci, Francesco Del Bene and Anna Maria Picozzi.
