CATANIA — Police in Sicily seized horses and shut down stables in the San Cristoforo district after investigating an unauthorized horse race in Palagonia, near Catania, in which dozens of spectators fired pistols into the air and brandished Kalashnikov rifles. Two men, aged 40 and 45, were reported to prosecutors, and several other people were taken to a police station for questioning.

Footage of the race showed two jockeys driving horse-drawn carts along country roads in Palagonia, followed by dozens of people on scooters who fired shots into the air. Animal rights activist Enrico Rizzi posted the video on social media, prompting the police investigation that led to the seizure of the animals.

"Following reports of an unauthorised horse race, accompanied by dozens of people filming the event and firing gunshots into the air, police carried out investigations in the San Cristoforo district of Catania, which led to two men aged 40 and 45 being reported to prosecutors," police said. "Officers immediately began intensive inspections of several stables in the San Cristoforo district, together with veterinarians from the regional health department, in order to identify the horses used in the race and place them in safety," police added. The investigation is continuing.

Illegal horse racing remains widespread in Sicily, Calabria and Campania, and the events are often organized by mafia families linked to Cosa Nostra, the Camorra and the 'Ndrangheta. The races generate large sums of undeclared cash, with bets often reaching thousands of euros for a single event. In Catania, Messina and Palermo, repeated police raids over the years have led to arrests, prosecutions and the seizure of illegal stables.

"Illegal horse races, in addition to being a source of illicit profits linked to gambling, represent one of the most striking displays of criminal prestige and mafia control over the territory," the animal welfare organisation LAV said. "They allow criminal groups to demonstrate their complete domination of the area by occupying and blocking public roads and deploying men and vehicles."

According to LAV, seven illegal horse races were stopped in 2024, leading to 70 people being reported and the seizure of 29 horses and a pony. Between 1998 and 2024, 4,324 people were reported, 1,430 horses seized and 165 clandestine races disrupted. The horses are often given names inspired by figures including Salvatore Riina, Bernardo Provenzano, Carmine Schiavone and Osama bin Laden.