Doing business with Mafia costs pensioners

Carmelo's son Gaetano claimed the Mafia warned him: "Remember that you have children." Photo / Thinkstock

More than 1.6 billion ($2.6 billion) worth of assets have been seized from a family of five Sicilian pensioners in one of Italy's largest anti-Mafia operations in 20 years, say Italian police.

The three brothers and two sisters, described as "business people", allegedly received help from the island's Cosa Nostra Mafia to win construction contracts related to public works.

About 800 buildings - including houses and factories - motor vehicles and dozens of bank accounts have been seized from Carmelo Virga, 66, his brothers Vincenzo, 78, and Francesco, 71, and sisters Anna, 76, and Rosa, 68.

Adelmo Lusi, from Italy's Anti-Mafia Investigation Department (DIA), said: "The sum is enormous for a family that until 30 years ago was made up of carpenters, labourers and housewives."

The seizure is the first stage in the investigation process. The family, from Marineo in the suburbs of Sicilian capital Palermo, have not been arrested.

Carmelo's son Gaetano, who has collaborated with anti-Mafia organisations in the past and has given evidence against extortion rackets, told police he and his family were consistently threatened by the Mafia in 2010.

He claimed the Mafia warned him: "Remember that you have children."

Gaetano said an alleged extortionist came to the family's office to demand protection money but was sent away.

The operation by the Palermo-based court was aimed at "entrepreneurs who belong to the Marineo Mafia linked to the Corleone clan", the DIA said.

The Corleone clan are a once-dominant faction within Cosa Nostra.

The DIA claims to have uncovered how the Virgas benefited from the backing of the Cosa Nostra in bidding for construction work.