Over 100 suspected mobsters arrested in US mafia crackdown

More than 100 suspected mobsters have been arrested in raids on New York's organised crime families.

The FBI said most of the arrests were made this morning. Many were in Brooklyn, but they occurred throughout New York City, in New Jersey and New England. Charges include murder, extortion and narcotics trafficking.

The arrests were a major blow to New York's five Mafia crime families.

Federal probes aided by mob turncoats have decimated the families' ranks and resulted in lengthy prison terms for several leaders.

On Friday, a federal judge in Brooklyn sentenced John "Sonny" Franzese, 93, to eight years in prison for extorting Manhattan strip clubs and a pizzeria on Long Island.

Federal prosecutors had sought at least 12 years behind bars for the underboss of the Colombo crime family - in effect, a life term. To bolster their argument, they had an FBI agent testify that Franzese bragged about killing 60 people over the years and once contemplated putting out a hit on his own son for becoming a government cooperator.

In October, Mafia turncoat Salvatore Vitale was sentenced to time served after federal prosecutors praised his total betrayal of his own crime syndicate - and after he apologised to the families of his victims. Authorities said he had a hand in at least 11 murders, including that of a fellow gangster in the fallout from the infamous Donnie Brasco case.

The evidence provided after his arrest in 2003 helped decimate the once-fearsome Bonanno organised crime family, Assistant US Attorney Greg Andres said.

"The Mafia today is weaker because of his cooperation," Mr Andres said. "Mr. Vitale provided lead after lead. ... The results speak for themselves."