CATANIA, MAY 25 – A hospital at Caltagirone in Sicily was “occupied” by funeral firms trying to steal a march on rivals and get to the dead before them, a local prosecutor said Tuesday. Nine people have been arrested on charges of conspiracy, illicit competition with threats and violence, violation of tombs, aggravated theft and other offences. As well as threatening rival firms, the alleged culprits also stole objects from coffins, police said. Such so-called ‘dear departed” scams are widespread across Italy. Consumer group Codacons said they generated a turnover of more than 3.5 billion euros a year. “This probe is a drop in the ocean, the phenomenon is very very widespread in Italian hospitals,” they said. (ANSA).

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