Ex-councillors among 25 nabbed in Mafia op
Accusations include mafia association, vote buying


(ANSA) - Palermo, March 5 - Two former councillors were among 25 people arrested by Carabinieri police in an anti-Mafia operation in the Sicilian province of Trapani on Tuesday, sources said. The politicians were named as Paolo Ruggirello, a former councillor in the Sicilian regional assembly for the centre-left Democratic Party, and Ivana Inferrera, a former member of the city of Trapani's executive.
Ruggirello is accused of mafia association while Inferrera is under investigation for mafia-linked vote buying, according to the sources.
During the investigation, the Carabinieri uncovered an alleged Cosa Nostra 'cell' on the island of Favignana and they seized asserts worth around 10 million euros.