Raids across Sicily on Tuesday saw almost 200 suspected mobsters arrested in what is being described as a “very hard blow to Cosa Nostra”, who are attempting to recreate a powerful senior mafia commission.

Italian police have confirmed that warrants were issued against 183 people, 36 of whom were already in custody, for crimes including mafia-type criminal association, attempted murder, extortion, drug trafficking and illegal gambling.

This is reportedly the largest-scale operation against the Cosa Nostra since 1984, with 1,200 police officers involved in the bust.

More than 50kg of drugs were seized, and Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said several alleged mafia bosses were among those arrested.

One of the arrested alleged mafia don, Giancarlo Romano, was heard on wiretap slamming the “calibre” of young Sicilian mobster recruits as “miserable”.

“The level is low — today they arrest someone, and he becomes a turncoat.”

Speaking on a tapped phone, Romano was heard advising a young colleague to “go to school, where you will meet doctors, lawyers — those who run Italy”.

He also urged the recruit to watch The Godfather, Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 film depicting the mafia’s ties to politicians, to learn the trade.

'If you watch The Godfather, the connections he had… he was very influential because of the power that he built at a political level. But us – what can we do?” Romano said.