Police in Sicily have uncovered the hideout of Mafia boss Salvatore Lo Piccolo, who was arrested last November along with his son after 24 years on the run.
Lo Piccolo, 65, and son Sandro, 32, are thought to have spent the last six years of their time in hiding at the safe house in Terrasini, a seaside resort 30 kilometres west of Palermo.
Mafia turncoats collaborating with the police helped to reveal the location of the den.
Lo Piccolo was believed to have been vying with a younger Trapani rival to become Cosa Nostra head since police nabbed boss of bosses Bernardo Provenzano on a sheep farm in April 2006 after 42 years on the run.
The Lo Piccolo clan controlled much of Palermo through protection rackets, charging entrepreneurs and shopkeepers 'pizzi' of between 500 and 10,000 euros a month.
They even imposed a fixed charge of 15 euros to keep electricity running in parts of the Sicilian capital.
Lo Piccolo, his son and two other bosses were arrested last year at Giardinello, a village close to Terrasini, as they were holding a Cosa Nostra summit.
Five of Lo Piccolo's remaining lieutenants were caught by police later that month and charged with extortion, drug trafficking, illegal arms possession and money laundering.
