FBI claim major victory after 'mafia' arrests

More than two dozen members of an alleged organised crime family were in custody today after a major FBI raid in New York.

More than 150 FBI agents and New York Police Department detectives seized leading members and henchmen of the reputed Bonanno family in raids across the city.

Among those arrested was alleged crime family boss Anthony “Tony Green” Urso and acting second in command Joseph “Joe C.” Cammarano.

They, along with another 20 underlings, are being held on racketeering and 15 murder charges.

Also detained in the raids on Tuesday was the so-called “Godfather of Canada” Vito Rizzuto, alleged to be the most powerful Mafioso in his country.

He was arrested over a triple murder 23 years ago – a crime that was later portrayed in the 1997 film Donnie Brasco.

The FBI said a total of 27 crime family suspects were indicted.

Brooklyn US Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf said the arrests came after law enforcement agencies infiltrated the family.

A high-ranking member managed secretly to tape meetings, to gather vital evidence, she said.

“For the first time ever, made-members of the Bonanno family, including a high ranking member, agreed to record their conversations with other members of the Bonanno family and their associates,” Ms Mauskopf said.

“With this unprecedented access to the Bonanno family’s inner circle, we had front-row seats from which to view the family’s leadership and operations.”

According to court papers the tapes detail interrogations and inductions of members.

The alleged mob leaders arrested are accused of filling the shoes of reputed boss Joseph Massino, who is in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Authorities allege that he has been smuggling messages out of jail to continue the running of the family.

But Urso’s lawyer, Edward Jenks, said the case was based on an "avalanche of lies".