Palermo finance police detain 13 members of Resuttana mafia families

The Special Finance Police unit of Italy’s Guardia di Finanza carried out a coordinated raid in Palermo, executing a court‑ordered precautionary measure against 13 individuals linked to the Acquasanta and Arenella families of the Resuttana mandamento. Eight of the suspects were sentenced to prison and five placed under house arrest.

The operation, supported by the Palermo and Naples provincial commands, stemmed from extensive financial investigations, wiretaps, and testimony from justice collaborators. Authorities identified 45 people under investigation for mafia association, fraud, money‑laundering, and illegal sports‑betting activities. The raid uncovered a clandestine online betting network used to launder illicit proceeds.

Among those detained were noted clan leaders, including 75‑year‑old Raffaele Galatolo of Acquasanta and veteran figure Stefano Fidanzati. Investigators mapped the clans’ hierarchies, revealing the use of front companies, semi‑liberty privileges, and a system of cash‑only betting points to evade taxes and channel criminal profits.