They arrested 31 mafiosi in my little town yesterday, and two of them were neighbours of mine. The newspapers are saying that this has practically demolished the Mafia in this town.
Personally I am not so sure. Fighting the Mafia is like trying to eliminate cockroaches. You can stamp on a couple but there are always about 100 more, dashing about the cupboard under the sink waiting for their chance to get promoted to the fruit bowl.
But anyway, let’s enjoy this moment of victory. At least I am free of two scary neighbours!
In traditional style, let me list their various crimes:
1. Mafia association (in Italy this is a crime in itself, even if they cannot prove anything specific you may have done)
2. homicide
3. kidnap
4. extortion
5. armed robbery
6. Not paying their share of my street’s water bill hence making me live in a house with no running water for a year
7. Having the most hideous-looking plucked eyebrows (yes, on a MAN) I have ever seen
They were largely captured with the help of two pentiti (“repenters”). The arrests and the investigation have resolved about 50 previously unsolved homicides and revealed the criminal activities of lots of local businesses and local politicians who were previously regarded as pillars of the community.
Of course we all knew who most of the crooks were already.
“Don’t eat in that pizzeria,” people will whisper “they’re Mafiosi there.”
“That local councillor takes massive bribes and sits as work listening to porno phone lines all day,” they mutter.
“His business is a big success in this economic crisis and we all know why,” they will hiss under their breath.
I am really looking forward to cruising around town over the next few weeks to find out which commercial establishments will have “closed” signs displayed.
Since I live literally cheek by jowl with some of these people, I shall not name any names nor post mugshots (real stunners though they are). Here instead are my two favourite Carabinieri photos again, just to honour the courage of the Italian “Boys in Blue.”
The Dangerously Truthful Diary of a Sicilian Housewife 
They will be back soon.
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Well, this current batch are all going to get at least 10 years for “mafia association” (standard sentence) and it rises to 15 for any act of extortion.
I am just wondering who will take their places…
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So how long before the water’s turned back on then? 🙂
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Oh, we have circumvented that already. We disconnected ourselves from the original pipe and got our house connected to a different pipe. Same water company, same address, new customer account. 🙂
Of course, you could only manage this solution in Sicily, and even then, only after meeting 15 different employees of the water company till you find one who says OK!
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Yes, I think even in Sri Lanka that would be difficult to manage! 🙂
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This carabinieri Cinquecento is so cute! 🙂
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I just love it! My son has a toy one almost as big as that one in the photo!!!
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Homicide etc is not good, but leaving you with no running water for a year… no wonder you’re glad they’ve been arrested!
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I know! Trying to shower using nothing but baby wipes was not fun, and rationing loo flushes really was the last straw.
The oddest thing is that this neighbour (who will not be my neighbour again for at least 15 years, I am assured) was in the same boat. Evidently he likes the smell of his own BO!!!!
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There is a perfectly logical explanation for most things: ‘Cockroaches have been known to eat human hair, even eyelashes and eyebrows. ‘ (This was on the Internet so it must be true!)
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And the glue that’s used to bind books! And soap! It’s impossible to starve them out 😦
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They do need moisture though & limiting sources can help to control them. Perhaps it is a good thing that the water was off for a year or there may have been more than 2 in the street?!
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True… but seeing as they come into my flat via the water pipes, I guess they get enough of that. Not seen any this year so far, but it’s only a matter of days. Hours, probably. Blasted things!
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Ha haaa! Pip you must be right, how many of these “roaches” would I have had if we had had runing water all this time?!!!
And soap, yes, I am still traumatised by finding a roach in my soap in a hotel in Africa which I swear was bigger than an antelope.
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AND they have horns, LOL.
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My, it must be difficult to see your beloved adopted home being run by these bandits. Here’s hoping things calm down at least for a while for you.
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We’re actually planning a street party to celebrate, though we are already wondering how long till new roaches take their place…
For the time being, though, it feel REALLY good.
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Crikey Veronica – can you please not just come home – it would be so much easier to wrap you in soft cotton wool if you were here. Over there feels like the wild west – and plucked eyebrows on a man? How could you stand it?
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I sometimes find the plucked eyebrows even more disturbing than the armed robberies…
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Kudos to the boys in blue! Stay safe
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Glad for you that at least SOME progress is being made. Awfully slowly, though. My grandparents left Sicily 100 years ago to live without mafia! I did look at the list of 31 names just to make sure none of the my relatives last names were on it, ha-ha.
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Haa ha! You’re not the only one checking for relatives. I have been amazed how many really nice friends of mine, who are upstanding citizens, have warned me to avoid certain relatives of theirs – who have now appeared on that list.
We have a new council here now, run by the anti-corruption “Cinque Stelle” party. We are all hoping the pace of improvement will accelerate now. Fingers crossed!
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