Police in Bari arrested 24 people on Monday, dismantling one of the oldest and most feared mafia clans that threatened to use a pool of young 'kamikaze' members to protect its interests.
Investigators intercepted phone calls to bust the organisation of the so-called Telegrafo clan, which operates in the notorious San Paolo suburb of Bari.
In one call, a mobster claimed that the clan's lowest level was made up of 20-year-old foot soldiers prepared to do ''anything'' and to ''sacrifice themselves'' for the good of the clan.
''Some day I'll take you to see the kamikazes - boys of 20 - they don't even think,'' he said.
Investigators said they were sceptical about the existence of the kamikazes until they intercepted a call in November 2004 ordering the young members to start shooting at police who were close to uncovering a hidden weapons store.
After the so-called kamikazes, the next level up in the clan comprised drug pushers and members who collected the 'pizzo', or protection racket money, police said.
Shopkeepers, businessmen and market traders in the San Paolo area paid the mafia up to 1,000 euros a month, which is due punctually on the fifth of each month.
The third and highest level of the clan is the management, who control mafia activities under boss Lorenzo Valerio, 40, and right-hand man Carlo Iacobbe, 38.
Police seized nine revolvers, a sawn-off shotgun, 900 rounds of ammunition, 700 grams of cocaine and 7 kg of hashish during the operation, which involved 300 officers supported by helicopters and a police dog unit.
The men arrested are charged with mafia-associated crimes, drug pushing, firearms possession and extortion.
The mafia in Puglia, known as the Sacra Corona Unita (United Holy Crown), is Italy's fourth-biggest organised crime organisation.
