Italy Police Arrest 38 in New Mafia Crackdown

Another important Mafia leader, who was one of Italy´s 30-most wanted men, was shot and killed by police as he tried to escape arrest.

Italian police arrested 38 Mafia suspects in Sicily and hunted for nine others on Tuesday, the latest in a series of roundups that the government said were crippling the organised crime group.

"We're exerting a state presence in Sicily that is changing the climate there and eradicating the clans," said Interior Minister Giuliano Amato.

Among the arrested was Enzo Santapaola, the son of an infamous mob boss in the Sicilian city of Catania, Benedetto "Nitto" Santapaola.

The suspects are accused of extortion, drug trafficking and other crimes.

A total of 70 arrest warrants were issued, but 23 of them were for people already jailed on other charges, police said.

The operation follows a series of high-profile sweeps targeting the Sicilian Mafia, including last month's arrest of "boss of bosses" Salvatore Lo Piccolo after nearly a quarter century on the run.

Magistrates believe Lo Piccolo assumed command of the Cosa Nostra following the capture in 2006 of Bernardo Provenzano.

Another important Mafia leader, who was one of Italy's 30 most wanted men, was shot and killed by police on Monday as he tried to escape arrest.