Italian anti‑mafia raids detain ex‑doctor Francesco Burrafato and other suspects

Carabinieri of the ROS carried out a series of searches at the home and other properties of 85‑year‑old former hospital chief Francesco Burrafato in Castelvetrano, arresting him on charges of aggravated favouring of Cosa Nostra. Investigators identified Burrafato as the figure nicknamed “Parmigiano” in coded messages from mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, which outlined a €40,000 loan to be delivered in installments through a contact called “Fragolina”. The raid uncovered a pistol bearing an abrasa serial number, and the operation was coordinated by Palermo prosecutor Maurizio de Lucia with assistants Gianluca De Leo and Piero Padova.

In a separate anti‑mafia action, Carabinieri from the Nucleo Investigativo in Agrigento executed an arrest warrant against Giuseppe Morreale of Favara, already detained for another case, and had previously detained Giuseppe Grassonelli. Authorities allege that Morreale and Grassonelli threatened a resident in Germany to extract €6,000, purportedly part of payment for a murder that never took place. Searches also recovered a Beretta 96 Combat pistol, additional revolvers and ammunition. Both operations are part of an ongoing crackdown on organized crime in Sicily.