Horse racing has been suspended at the Palermo racetrack after Italian police investigating mafia activity discovered illegal gambling and evidence that Cosa Nostra bosses were rigging races. Injured champions may also be used for breeding, said the chief prosecutor of Syracuse, Paolo Giordano, who has led several investigations into illegal horse races in Sicily. But not everyone can afford a racetrack, and horses used for illegal racing usually stay in garages or buildings in the city centre. Giordano said the control of horse racing – and prize horses – remained important to the mafia. “We must not think of the illegal races solely as a form of business,” Giordano said.

Source: The Guardian December 25, 2017 14:15 UTC