Carabinieri police in the Sicilian province of Siracusa on Friday arrested a dozen people in relation to a probe into alleged Mafia vote-buying, extortion and drug felonies.
Ten of the suspects were taken to jail, while the other two were put under house arrest.
The suspects include Giuseppe Sorbello, a former member of the Sicilian regional executive and the former mayor of the town of Melilli, near Syracuse.
They are accused of being linked to, or members of, the 'Nardo'Mafia clan active in the north of the province of Siracusa and considered to be part of the Catania-based 'Santapaola Ercolano'Cosa Nostra crime family.
The clan allegedly used intimidation to gain direct or indirect control of several businesses in the province of Syracuse, especially in agriculture.
Sorbello is accused of accepting an agreement involving pledges to work for the release from jail of a clan member's son and money in exchange for votes ahead of local elections in 2022 in Melilli.
The elections were won by the town's current mayor, Giuseppe Carta, who is also a councilor in the Sicilian regional assembly, with 75% of the vote.
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