Italy's fight against Mafia crime in Sicily has suffered a severe setback with the arrest of two judges and an investigation into the activities of four others suspected of collusion with the Mafia.

The arrest of Giovanni Lembo - a judge who works in the prosecutor's office in Mesina in Sicily - and another retired trial judge, Marcello Mondelo, on charges of collusion with the Mafia, was followed by other disturbing revelations.

Four other members of the judiciary are under investigation on similar charges while the court house in Mesina was the scene of a daring drug robbery at the weekend.

News of the drug theft - 2kg of cocaine and heroin - previously seized by police and locked away in the courthouse, leaked out later.

Italy's justice minister says he is very concerned at the developments and called on the government to speed up new legislation restricting the use of Mafia turncoats as police informers.

Leniency for information

More than 1,000 former criminals are at present taking part in a witness protection programme granting leniency in exchange for information leading to further Mafia convictions.

Judge Lembo is accused of having helped another convicted Mafia gangster to circulate freely in Sicily while he was supposed to be held in custody.

This particular turncoat was allowed by the judge to drive around Sicily in an expensive Ferrari when all his personal assets were to have been confiscated by the authorities.

He also shared meals with prosecutors, bodyguards and police drivers.

About 20 members of the Italian judiciary have been charged with corruption during the past decade.

A curtain of silence surrounds most of these investigations.