Wholesale Market War
In January 1955, the Palermo fruit and vegetable wholesale market moved from the Zisa area to Acquasanta, disturbing the delicate power balances within Cosa Nostra. The Acquasanta Mafia clan tried to muscle in on the protection racket that traditionally belonged the "Mafia of the Gardens"—such as the Greco’s and Cottone—because it now fell under their territory. Some villages just outside Palermo, like Bagheria and Villabate, flared up with the same kind of violence for the control of irrigation, transport, and wholesale markets. A violent dispute erupted leaving bodies on both sides. Acquasanta bosses Gaetano Galatolo and Nicola D’Alessandro were killed, as well as a Greco from the Ciaculli clan.
On August 22, 1956, Nino Cottone was killed as well. Returning home late, he gently backed his little Fiat station wagon into the drive of his summer villa. He had just locked the car when he was bowled along the driveway by two streams of machine-gun bullets.
Read more about this topic: Antonio Cottone
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