ACCUSED DRIVEN TO COURT HOUSE; INTERIOR COURTROOM;




Initials IF-JP/VS/CCT/SS



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Background: A SICILIAN COURT IN PALERMO YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) BEGAN TRYING 17 MEN SAID TO BE BEHIND A VAST DRUG TRAFFICKING RACKET BETWEEN ITALY AND THE UNITED STATES, BUT SOME OF THE MOST NOTABLE FIGURES WERE ABSENT.

THE ACCUSED INCLUDE SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES AMONG ALLEGED MAFIA AND COSA NOSTRA BOSSES, SUCH AS JOSEPH "JOE BANANAS" BONNANO. HE WAS ONE OF SEVEN BEING TRIED IN ABSENTIA.

BONNANO WAS LAST YEAR SAID TO HAVE BECOME THE HEAD OF THE HEAD OF THE COSA NOSTRA, OF AMERICAN MAFFIA. THE CASE IS PART OF THE BIGGEST CRACKDOWN ON THE MAFIA SINCE THE WAR BY THE ITALIAN POLICE WHICH BEGAN IN THE SUMMER OF 1965.

SEVEN ACCUSED WERE IN COURT. THREE OTHERS HAVE DECIDED THEY WOULD PREFER TO STAY IN JAIL RATHER THAT APPEAR IN COURT.

THESE THREE INCLUDE GIUSEPPE GENCO RUSSO, ALLEGED TO BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST POST-WAR MAFIA BOSSES AFTER TAKING OVER THE SYNDICATE FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF "DON" CALOGERO VIZZINI.

THE PROSECUTION ALLEGES THAT THE BIG TRANS-ATLANTIC DRUGS NETWORK WAS PLANNED AT A SECRET MEETING OF COSA NOSTRA LEADERS IN NEW YORK IN 1957.

THE DEFENCE AND PROSECUTION BETWEEN THEM HAVE HANDED IN DOCUMENTS TOTALLING ABOUT 10,000 PAGES.