Supreme Court confirms convictions, prompting arrests of Casalesi members in Veneto

Italy's highest court confirmed 24 convictions against individuals linked to the Casalesi clan, making the judgments definitive. In response, law enforcement carried out coordinated actions throughout Italy, targeting the clan's presence in the northeastern Veneto area. While the majority of the accused turned themselves in—Raffaele Buonanno in Melfi and Adriano Donadio in Padua—Luciano Donadio, identified as the leader of the group near Venice, escaped arrest after police found his residence empty.

The court found the defendants guilty of employing typical mafia tactics, including threats, extortion, usury and money laundering, over roughly two decades in the Venice vicinity. Sentences range from three to thirty years. These moves aim to dismantle the clan's influence in the region.