The Mafia

[Katsumoto]

So I just finished reading a book called "The Rise of the Mafia" by Martin Short, which chronicles the rise of the Italian-American Mafia, and I have to say I'm quite shocked in what I found out.

Most of the research for the book was for a TV series broadcast in 1984, but the author did some extra research for the 2009 publishing of the book.

Anyway, I don't think most people realised how much power the Mafia in America has/had. The Mafia controls so many illegal and now even legal companies that they are like any big corporation, except whereas big corporations only have lawyers to use as weapons, the Mafia has lawyers and guns.

The range of business' the Mafia controls/ed is so varied it's ridicilous. From uranium mining to pornography, from garments to waste disposal, the list goes on, and the thing is they can manipulate these industries through various "means" to give them the edge against their competitors. Las Vegas was basically built by the Mafia and Mafia controlled businessess.

They also have great political power. In 1930's Chicago, gangsters such as Al Capone controlled who became the Mayor by rigging votes and intimidating other canditates. They could operate their illegal activities now without intefererence from the law. It goes even further than a city mayor. Sam Giancama, head of the Chicago Outfit (Mafia), arguably secured John F. Kennedy's election as President by ensuring that the vote of Illinois went to Kennedy. Giancama did this believing Kennedy would tell the FBI to back off from his "activities", which they didn't. (Conspiracy theories suggest this was why Kennedy was assasinated.)

Nowadays, the Mafia is weaker. Undercover FBI work and high ranking Mafia informants have hurt them badly. The book explains though how we shouldn't think that the Mafia is dead, that simply they are "laying low", and that we shoudn't think that because the Mafia Families are weaker that they are gone, because now more mafiosi simply don't join a Family in case of becoming a FBI target. In any case, it has to be admired how the Mafia were able to so deeply integrate themselves into society and so systematically commit organized crime without the law being able to do anything, and to gain so much profit from it. A 1979 analysis which was accepted by the US Senate stated that organized crime brings in over $160 billion a year.

Anyway, what are you guys' views on the Mafia? Has anyone been affected by them in any way? Does anyone know of any Mafia activies in their area? I'd be interested to learn more about the Mafia if anyone cares to share, since I'm no expert on the subject.

[Spartan90]

The Mafia is badly damaged, yes - but is still a major player in organized crime. They have weakened in the States, and in Australia they lost significance after the whole country and its media got involved behind things such as the Griffith drug trade and the Melbourne Gangland War, but they still operate. I believe that their even more powerful than ever back in their roots - places such as Sicily and southern Naples. In fact, I remember reading a news article at the beginning of the year which stated that the Mafia has in fact not lost any profits since the economy problems of late 2008 - present. They may have in fact become wealthier and stronger.

I'm no expert, I just like the Godfather They are still significant players in the underground, but they are no where near the power and influence in which they held during the Depression, Prohibition, etc.

[Katsumoto]

Definitely, it seems nowadays to avoid attention from the media and the law they use people and businesses as "fronts" to keep their illegal activities going without the backlash. Also, with all the modern technology available, organized crime has gone global with all the different Mafia families around the world working together to gain even huger profits.

[Generaal Van Heutsz]

I wonder how the mafia would fare if all drugs and gambling would be legalized....

[Azog 150]

I recently took a trip to Sicily (The home of the Mafia)- we even went to Corleone (The home of the Godfather) and went to a little anti-Mafia museum there.

I was interested to find out however, that there were mass-convictions in Sicily and throughout Italy in the 90's to crack down on Mafia activities. Hundreds were imprisoned, including one guy who had personally murdered over 100 people and ordered the killings of hundreds more.

Nowadays, apparently, as you said, they use many different business front's to cover up illegal activities. They also completely control the building industry in Sicily- nothing in Sicily gets built or repaired without their permission. Consequently, there is hundreds of miles of unfinished motorways as well as building sites. They are also not nearly as heavily involved in protection or drug running as they used to be, and in Palermo (Their main city of operation), hundreds of shop-keepers have started standing up to the Mafia and they refuse to pay protection money. They still, however, have infiltrations within the government and a large amount of influence, and Burlusconi, as well as many previous Italian Prime Ministers have strong Mafia connections.






Nowadays, however, the Camorra (Naples Mafia) are the ones to watch out for. Ever since the 90's crackdown, the Costra Nostra (Sicilian Mafia) have gone a bit more low profile- people don't get shot in the streets anymore for example. But the Camorra on the other hand still feel they have something to prove, and there are many brutal Camorra murders. They have also taken over many of the Costra Nostra's old drug running buisnesses, and they still get protection money from most buisnesses in Naples. They also have a massive stake in the fashion industry, basically doing OK-quality Italian fashion rip-offs (Such as Armarni), and there are massive factories, often full of people (Usually Chinese) that they have smuggled in working there.

I also recently found out my birthplace of Aberdeen in Scotland has a large amount of Camorra activity- people pay protection there and they own half the of the resturants. They are also heavily involved in people smuggling in Britain. Quite recently, body-parts were getting washed up ashore near Aberdeen, and it turned out it was a Camorra hit. It just seems such a strange place for it.


Anyways, I am rambling, but I am very interested in this sort of thing.

[Katsumoto]

They also completely control the building industry in Sicily- nothing in Sicily gets built or repaired without their permission. Consequently, there is hundreds of miles of unfinished motorways as well as building sites.

This is what they do with many other industries. I dont know if they still do it nowadays, but in the 40s to 90s in America they used Unions to control the labour workforce of various business, so if the business didnt pay the Mafia the Mafia would just tell the workforce to strike. This way they could cripple any competition. Good post though Azog, I dont know that much about the Italian Mafia nowadays, the book was more about the Italian-American Mafia, though it does mention the Italians near the end.

[DAVIDE]

I was interested to find out however, that there were mass-convictions in Sicily and throughout Italy in the 90's to crack down on Mafia activities. Hundreds were imprisoned, including one guy who had personally murdered over 100 people and ordered the killings of hundreds more.

Sicilians started to refuse "the pizzo", after Falcone and Borsellino brutal murder (they were anti-mafia magisters). Carabinieri and Italian police are still making a great job in Sicily, but it's difficult to extirpate a tree with deep roots. Mafia in Sicily can be defeated whenever the locals wants it defeated.. if 100% of Sicilians starts to deny Mafia denouncing them to Police, there will be no more mafiosi in there... but actually, just a small part of them reject mafia.. and they are scared to do it, or have businesses with them

Nowadays, however, the Camorra (Naples Mafia) are the ones to watch out for. Ever since the 90's crackdown, the Costra Nostra (Sicilian Mafia) have gone a bit more low profile- people don't get shot in the streets anymore for example. But the Camorra on the other hand still feel they have something to prove, and there are many brutal Camorra murders. They have also taken over many of the Costra Nostra's old drug running buisnesses, and they still get protection money from most buisnesses in Naples. They also have a massive stake in the fashion industry, basically doing OK-quality Italian fashion rip-offs (Such as Armarni), and there are massive factories, often full of people (Usually Chinese) that they have smuggled in working there.

correct

[Katsumoto]

Well when gambling was legalized in Nevada there was little reduction in illegal gambling. I guess people just want to play without regulations. Same thing would happen with drugs I guess.

[Spartan90]

Not very well at all. The Black Market revolves around filling a need for things that aren't legal. This is why the Mafia - particularly the Chicago Outfit succeeded so well during the Prohibition. Alcohol was illegal, but people still wanted it. The Mafia filled this need, and raked in huge profits. If drugs, gambling, prostitution, etc was legal, there would be no need for a black market, which means organized crime goes out the window.

[Generaal Van Heutsz]

Not very well at all. The Black Market revolves around filling a need for things that aren't legal. This is why the Mafia - particularly the Chicago Outfit succeeded so well during the Prohibition. Alcohol was illegal, but people still wanted it. The Mafia filled this need, and raked in huge profits. If drugs, gambling, prostitution, etc was legal, there would be no need for a black market, which means organized crime goes out the window.

Even prostitution is illegal, I guess I am too dutch to have though of that one

I agree that they wouldn't fare very well indeed because these laws prohibiting certain kinds of behavior create artificial scarcity, driving up prices and profits...

[Katsumoto]

The only problem being that the Mafia doesnt need those traditional illegal activities to survive anymore. They have embedded themselves so deeply in other legal businessess that legalizing drugs wouldnt hurt the Mafia as much as it used to. Plus, the Mafia could simply reduce their prices if they wanted to continue the drug trade.

[Spartan90]

You are correct in saying that the Mafia is embedded deeply in legitimate business. This isn't to say, however, that these businesses aren't just fronts. It's like a huge version of racketeering.

@General: Sorry buddy, you Dutch get away with a lot Where I come from, prostitution is virtually illegal, only allowed in licensed brothels, and they are very, very limited.

[Katsumoto]

You are correct in saying that the Mafia is embedded deeply in legitimate business. This isn't to say, however, that these businesses aren't just fronts. It's like a huge version of racketeering.

Im a bit confused, are you saying the legitimate business are just fronts or arent? And racketeering simply means engaging in an illegal business, so Im not sure what your saying.

[Spartan90]

Im a bit confused, are you saying the legitimate business are just fronts or arent? And racketeering simply means engaging in an illegal business, so Im not sure what your saying.

What I'm trying to say is that the Mafia conducts their rackets while hiding behind their legitimate business to make them look like they're not criminals. So yes, I think a lot of their businesses are fronts, with the illegal business happening in the metaphorical 'back door'. You can't become one of the most powerful underground gangs by owning the concrete or garbage collecting industries. It's just a cover for what is really happening.

[Azog 150]

This is what they do with many other industries. I dont know if they still do it nowadays, but in the 40s to 90s in America they used Unions to control the labour workforce of various business, so if the business didnt pay the Mafia the Mafia would just tell the workforce to strike. This way they could cripple any competition. Good post though Azog, I dont know that much about the Italian Mafia nowadays, the book was more about the Italian-American Mafia, though it does mention the Italians near the end.

I only really know about the American Mafia from the days of Prohibition. You have posted some interesting stuff though.

I have heard that the Russian Mafia are moving in on many American businesses that were previously dominated by the Mafia. Don't know how true this is though.

There doesn't really seem to be as much Mafia activity in Britain thank god. However, there is still plenty of organized crime. Here in Liverpool, particularly in places such as Halewood, plenty of people still have to pay protection, and there is still instances of businesses being burnt down. Several of my mums friends (She was a shopkeeper and so had several friends in the business) had to pay protection money. Liverpool is also the number one place in Britain for the Cocaine industry (Thanks to it being a port) and there are still murders etc based around that (There was one murder not too far from where I live where a hitman killed a drug runner with a sawn-off). However, most of the people in charge of the Cocaine industry in Britain and Liverpool live in big fancy Spanish villa's on the Meditteranean

[Katsumoto]

I have heard that the Russian Mafia are moving in on many American businesses that were previously dominated by the Mafia. Don't know how true this is though.

There doesn't really seem to be as much Mafia activity in Britain thank god. However, there is still plenty of organized crime. Here in Liverpool, particularly in places such as Halewood, plenty of people still have to pay protection, and there is still instances of businesses being burnt down. Several of my mums friends (She was a shopkeeper and so had several friends in the business) had to pay protection money. Liverpool is also the number one place in Britain for the Cocaine industry (Thanks to it being a port) and there are still murders etc based around that (There was one murder not too far from where I live where a hitman killed a drug runner with a sawn-off). However, most of the people in charge of the Cocaine industry in Britain and Liverpool live in big fancy Spanish villa's on the Meditteranean

Yeah I heard that about the Russian Mafia too, it seems that the FBI have damaged the Italians allowing the Russians to move in round the back. And yeah luckily there isnt as much as in America but now with the mass immigration of Eastern Europeans into Britain it seems there is an increase in human trafficking and sex slavery occuring. Luckily though most British gangs haven't been able to organize themselves as effectively as the Mafia, although London has some notorious gangs, don't really know much about that though.

[Azog 150]

Sicilians started to refuse "the pizzo", after Falcone and Borsellino brutal murder (they were anti-mafia magisters). Carabinieri and Italian police are still making a great job in Sicily, but it's difficult to extirpate a tree with deep roots. Mafia in Sicily can be defeated whenever the locals wants it defeated.. if 100% of Sicilians starts to deny Mafia denouncing them to Police, there will be no more mafiosi in there... but actually, just a small part of them reject mafia.. and they are scared to do it, or have businesses with them

I remember hearing about them as well. The people in the museum said they became martyrs to the case of getting rid of the Mafia. We even drove passed the bit where they were blown up by the road side bomb near the airport (The one that is nicknamed the Falcone airport)

You ever been to Sicily out of interest? Great place, I would recommend it.

[DAVIDE]

I remember hearing about them as well. The people in the museum said they became martyrs to the case of getting rid of the Mafia. We even drove passed the bit where they were blown up by the road side bomb near the airport (The one that is nicknamed the Falcone airport)

You ever been to Sicily out of interest? Great place, I would recommend it.

i got relatives in Reggio Calabria and it's quick to make a tour in Sicily by there... by the way, Sicily has great touristic potential but things in there are not going as supposed to be. As u well said, highways are in bad conditions or half made. Trains are old, poor and dirty and to make Catania - Palermo u need at least 3 hours and more by train... the biggest problem of building abusivism. If you have the chance to visit the greek temples in Agrigento, you will see what i m talking about.. abusive palaces or residence built by mafia, 50 metres far away from the temples! actually Sicily is a SHAME.. building abusivism is one of the major plague of southern italy (after mafia and criminal organizations)

[Treize]

They also make the Italian Bombs right?
In small plants around Napoli?

[Treize]

The highways in the North are worthless too...