The arrest of Matteo Messina Denaro and the effort to combat organised crime

2023 began with the arrest of Matteo Messina Denaro, the last of the Cosa Nostra bosses still at large to have participated in the massacres of 1992 and 1993. The event was perceived as a historic moment in the fight against the mafia, and greeted with enthusiasm right across the political spectrum. Messina Denaro’s arrest took place a few months after the Meloni government arrived in office, at a moment when some of the policies aimed at repressing organized crime were being questioned in public debate, especially, the customized detention arrangements for mafia bosses and the use of wiretapping. In addition to offering material for reflection on the current state of the Sicilian mafia, Messina Denaro’s arrest allows us to delve deeper into the state of antimafia action. The latter is the main focus of this article. First, we describe Messina Denaro’s criminal career in its historical context and his role within Cosa Nostra. We then examine the reactions to his arrest on the part of politicians and the authorities. We therefore explore in depth the issues his arrest highlighted, especially the complicity and cover-ups that allowed him to remain at large for so long. In other words, we look at the question of the ‘mafia bourgeoisie’ and the so-called ‘grey area’. In the concluding section, we offer some reflections on anti-mafia efforts as they relate to politics and public policy.