An anti-mafia tourist company opened in Sicily Nov 03, 2009

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A tourist firm, that guarantees to all its visitors that their money will not be spent on financing the local mafia, has recently opened in Sicily, informs The Guardian. Five years ago, in Sicily, when the influence of the Cosa Nostra was especially strong, an organization called Addiopizzo was formed to create opposition. Owners of restaurants, hotels, and shops who became members of the Addiopizzo organization did so in order to collectively refuse to pay the mafia for protection. Today the organization also opened a tourism company called Addiopizzo Travel, which works in exclusive partnership with just those companies who refused to pay for mafia protection. Thus, the owners of the company affirm that tourist need not to worry about their money going to finance the Cosa Nostra. Presently, Addiopizzo joins together around 400 companies, and all the owners have said no to "the offer you can't refuse".

Italian police and internal affairs officials often brag about their success in combating the mafia, but until today the criminal organization has not been completely eradicated. In July 2009, for example, 49 members of a Sicilian criminal cartel were trialed on the premises of extortion and racketeering of small businesses. At the same time, according to official data, around 80% of the businesses in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, continue to use mafia protection and make regular payments to the mafia accounts.