Palermo mafia blitz: new leader arrested, boss Suleman returns to prison

Last Updated: March 19, 2024

The arrests made by the Carabinieri of the Palermo Provincial Command, as part of the operation called “Roccaforte 2”, coordinated by the Palermo Anti-Mafia District Directorate, led by Maurizio de Lucia, are considered “at the top”. One of the arrested individuals is Paolo Suleman, 47 years old, who is believed to be very close to Gianni Nicchi, considered the protege of Pagliarelli crime boss Nino Rotolo. Suleman was previously arrested in 2011 in the “Hybris” blitz, which targeted the Palermo mafia district of Pagliarelli. According to investigators, Suleman, who recently completed an 8-year sentence, returned to overseeing extortion activities, becoming the leader of the mafia family in Corso Calatafimi. The Palermo judge, upon the requests of the Anti-Mafia District Directorate, ordered Rosario Lo Nardo, 41 years old, to be held in custody and Giuseppe Marano, 71 years old, to be placed under house arrest. The investigators believe that the three arrested individuals were the new leaders of the Pagliarelli crime family. Suleman, as the leader, and Lo Nardo and Marano as his lieutenants, rose to the top of the organization following previous arrests in January 2023 and July 2020.