What is the name of the godfather of the mafia? Italian mafia from a to z

The organization that the consul spoke about has historical origins. The word most likely has Arabic roots: mu`afah. This term has many meanings: security, skill, skill, safety, efficiency.

But there is more nice option origin. During the uprising of March 30, 1282, which broke out in Sicily and went down in history under the name "Sicilian Vespers", the cry was born M orte a lla F rancia, I talia a nela! (“Death to France, sigh, Italy!”). The initial letters of this slogan make up the word "MAFIA".

It is even more difficult to identify the fundamentals of an organization. According to many historians, the seed from which this criminal organization sprang was sown back in the 12th century, when secret associations appeared against the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation. (Sacrum Romanorum Imperium Nationis Germaniae).

Some sources point to the Bourbon dynasty, who used the services of former brigands to patrol remote parts of the island's interior. They, in turn, quickly began to take bribes, turning a blind eye to some points.

Many specialists also start from the founding of the so-called gabellotti organization, which collected tribute for the state or acted as intermediaries between peasants and landowners.

They quickly got rich by intimidating the former and acting as representatives of the others. The Gabelloti, realizing what kind of power fell into their hands, created a separate caste, the basis of which was a code of honor and a semi-official structure.

All these theories have one thing in common common element: a huge gulf that from time immemorial separated the Sicilians from representatives of the “alien” government.

No one anywhere felt as helpless and humiliated as the rootless Sicilian peasant, forced to hard labor in local latifundia - large feudal landholdings belonging to the eternally absent rulers, who were residents of Naples or Palermo. The latifundium system was invented in Ancient Rome and existed until the Second World War. As you can see, where I couldn’t cope conventional system power and justice, the question of the appearance of local judges - the so-called amici (friends) or uomini d`onore (men of honor) - was only a matter of time.

In the book "Trip to Sicily and Malta"(Viaggio in Sicilia e a Malta), the English traveler and writer Brydone Patrick (1743-1818) posted the following comment in 1773:

“These banditti are the most respected people on the island, with the noblest and most romantic sentiments, which are taken as a matter of honor; they show their respect to each other, as well as to everyone to whom they have ever sworn allegiance; Moreover, they show the most unshakable loyalty. Administrative and judicial officials are often obliged to protect them, and even to please them. These banditti are also known to be full of determination and desperation. So vengeful that they will not hesitate to kill anyone who is even suspected of provocations.”

These words can be repeated 200 years later.

Most people do not know, however, that Italy once came close to defeating this organization. During his reign, the legendary police chief, Cesare Morti, resorted to brutal and illegal methods in the fight against the mafia. And if not for the second world war, perhaps he would have been able to destroy her forever. Ironically, the American intervention evened out the forces. When preparing for the landing of soldiers in Sicily, they had only one reliable source of intelligence - the mafia.

Contacts with her were established through American gangsters Italian origin, such as Lucky Luciano.

I, in turn, would like to quote an excerpt from the book “The Great Godfather” by Vito Bruschini:

“In an atmosphere of social and political collapse, the mafia, with the support of its allies, began to regain control over the territory of the island and the distribution of basic food products.

Food was brought to Palermo based on the population of four hundred and fifty thousand people. In fact, when the bombing of the city began, two-thirds of the residents chose to leave for the countryside, where everyone had relatives or acquaintances. So, after the products were distributed using ration cards among the remaining residents of the city, Most of the food went to the black market.

Gathering his trusted friends, Don Calo explained to them that helping the American secret service agents would almost certainly guarantee freedom of action on the island after the end of the war. That is why you should cooperate with your American friends in all actions, including sabotage against German and Italian troops.

This began to happen with the beginning of spring. At the Nazi military base where the Goering tank brigade was stationed, barrels of gas oil were replaced by barrels filled with water mixed with oil. The engines of tanks fueled with this mixture burned out, and the combat vehicles were stuck in repair shops for a long time. The navy also constantly suffered from sabotage: the ships were forced to remain in port due to various damages.”

After occupying the island, the alliance strengthened the mafia, often appointing its important members to the leadership of the military government. Of the 66 Sicilian cities, 62 were entrusted to individuals with criminal origins. The mafia's further rise was fueled by the post-war construction boom in Italy, which became the source of enormous fortunes for the mafia, who invested laundered money in legitimate businesses or multiplied it through drugs, which changed the nature of the mafia forever.
IN recent years the police won several battles. The biggest success was the arrest in 2006 of godfather Bernardo Provenzano. Convicted in absentia of more than a dozen murders, the 73-year-old mafioso was captured in a Sicilian farm hideout.

Despite some legal successes, the defeat of the mafia is unlikely. Mainly because it is already very firmly integrated with the Italian economy. It's not without reason that Italians call the mafia la piovra – octopus.

In my opinion personal experience and opinion - I am sure that the mafia exists and will exist. Once I asked my good friend Mario, who worked for 30 years as a Sicilian, does it exist? To which they received a series of emotional statements that it does not exist, it was defeated long ago, these are all inventions of journalists, writers, and so on.

Well, given my experience of studying and being interested in this issue, as well as the statements of many of my Italian friends to the contrary, I am even more convinced and respect this structure.

I hope the following quotes from my favorite books by writers Mario Puzo and Vito Bruschini will clarify the concept of the mafia for you:

“Once upon a time in the south of Italy (particularly in Sicily), anyone who talked too much could be killed by the mafiosi and his tongue cut out. So that everyone knows why he was punished. The flower on the corpse hinted at love affairs. The mafia always killed for some offense.

During the period of rampant terrorism in Italy, one Sicilian boasted that on his island there were no terrorist attacks that would take the lives of innocent people (for example, bombs in a cafe, at a train station, etc.). Not like on mainland Italy! “With us,” he said, “the mafia will immediately find the culprit and he will be in trouble.”

“In the neighboring province of Cinesi, perhaps the largest and poorest in Sicily, one small village clan was headed by a cruel, fearless bandit named Fissolini. In his village, he had absolute power and had virtually no connections with other clans of the island. He had no idea how much power Don Aprile had; he could not imagine that this power could reach his godforsaken village. He decided to kidnap Don Aprile and get a ransom for him. He, of course, understood that he was breaking one of the unwritten laws: by kidnapping Don Aprile, he was invading the territory of another family, but he reasoned that it was worth the risk for such rich booty.

Cosca, family, clan,- The basic cell of the mafia and usually consists of blood relatives. Law-abiding citizens, for example, lawyers or doctors, do not break, but rather strengthen ties with their clan, because it defends their interests. Each clan is a closed organizational structure, but it can enter into an alliance with a stronger and more influential clan. The entire set of clans is usually called the mafia. But it does not have a single leader or commander.

Each clan usually specializes in a certain area in a certain territory. One controls the price of water and prevents the government from building dams that would lower the price. In a certain sense, this clan is destroying the state monopoly on power. Another can control the market for food and essential goods. At that time, the most powerful in Sicily were considered to be the cosca Clericuzio from Palermo, this clan dominated all the new construction on the island, and the cosca Corleone from Corleone, who controlled many Roman politicians and ensured the transportation of drugs around the world. There were also greedy clans that took money from romantic young men for the right to sing under the balconies of their loved ones.

All clans regulated crime. They did not tolerate those who robbed respectable citizens who honestly gave their clan a share of the income.

Both robbers and rapists faced the same punishment - death. And, of course, all clans did not tolerate adultery. In such cases, both the man and the woman were executed. No one had any questions.

Cosca Fissolini lived from bread to water. This clan controlled the sale of holy icons, took payments from farmers for guarding their herds, and kidnapped the rich who had lost their vigilance.

And when Don Aprile and little Astorre walked leisurely along the street of the village, two army trucks with Fissolini, who had no idea who he raised his hand against, and his people stopped nearby with a squeal of brakes ... "

From the book “Omerta”, Mario Puzo.

“Omerta is a Sicilian code of honor that prohibits reporting to anyone about crimes that might have been committed by people who aroused suspicion.”

“At the head of the Corleone family clan was the Don, he directed all the activities of the family and determined its policies. Three layers, three buffers separated the Don from those who carried out his will and directly carried out his orders. Thus, not a single trail could lead to the top. On one condition. If he doesn't betray the consigliori. That Sunday, Don Corleone gave detailed instructions in the morning on what to do with the two youths who had maimed Amerigo Bonasera's daughter. But he gave these orders to Tom Higen, face to face. During the day, Hagen, also alone, without witnesses, conveyed these instructions to Clemenza. Clemenza, in turn, ordered Paulie Gatto to carry out the order. Paulie Gatto was left to pick up the right people and do exactly what he was told. Neither Paulie Gateau nor his people will know what caused this order, or from whom it originally came.

To establish that the Don was involved in it, every link in this chain must turn out to be unreliable - this has never happened before, but where is the guarantee that this will not happen? However, a remedy was provided for this case too. One link, the key one, must disappear.

Besides, consigliori was really what the word means. That is, the Don’s adviser, his first assistant, his second head. And also - the most faithful ally and closest friend. It was he who drove the Don’s car during important business trips; he left the meeting to buy fresh cigars for the Don, coffee and sandwiches. He knew everything, or almost everything, that the Don knew, everything down to the last cell in the power structure. Only he, the only one in the world, had the opportunity to crush the Don if he wanted.

But there had never been a case of a consigliori betraying his don, at least in the memory of one of the influential Sicilian clans that settled in America. It would be an option without a future.

On the other hand, every consigliori knew that serving faithfully would bring him wealth, power and honor. And if trouble strikes, they will care about the well-being of his wife and children no worse than if he himself were alive and well and free. But this is when serving faithfully.

“In this ancient garden, the roots that gave birth to people like his father were exposed to Michael. He learned that the word "mafia" originally meant "haven."

Then it became the name of a secret organization that arose to confront the rulers who had suppressed this country and its people for hundreds of years. History does not know a region that has been subjected to such brutal violence. Like a tornado, the Inquisition walked around the island, not distinguishing who was poor and who was rich. With an iron hand Noble landowners and princes of the Catholic Church subjugated the peasants and shepherds to their power.

The instrument of this power was the police, so identified by the people with the rulers that...

Looking for ways to survive under the merciless heel of autocracy, tormented people learned to never show resentment or anger. Never utter words of threat, since in response to a threat, ahead of its execution, punishment will immediately follow. Don’t forget that society is your enemy and if you want to get even with it for injustice, you need to go to the secret rebels, the mafia.

It was the mafia, gaining strength, that introduced omerta in Sicily - mutual responsibility, a law commanding silence. IN rural areas a passerby or traveler who asks for directions to the nearest town will simply not be honored with an answer.

For a Mafia member, the greatest crime is to tell the police, for example, who shot him. Or hurt him. Omerta became a religion for people. The woman whose husband was killed will not tell the police the name of the killer, the name of the one who tortured her child and raped her daughter. People knew that they couldn’t get justice from the authorities, and they followed it to the mafia as its intercessor. »

The Godfather, Mario Puzo

5 best books about the Italian mafia

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“The police most likely won,” one Sicilian told me and talked about the current situation of the mafia in Italy. There is hardly a region in Italy where there is no mafia. It exists in both the south and north of the Apennine Peninsula, mafia clans simply originate from the south, and they prefer to conduct business in the north of the country, where there is a lot of money and it is easier to launder. Theoretically, the mafia has several regional names, such as “Camorra” in Naples, but the essence is the same everywhere. In recent years, most of the mafia leaders have been imprisoned; they have been imprisoned before, but this was not effective. The prison in Naples where they were previously kept was called the “5 Star Hotel” - for money you could do anything there. Now the situation has changed.

They try to keep mafia bosses in prisons in the north, for example in Milan, where they are not so strong. The conditions of detention have also become much stricter - this is solitary confinement without any connection with the outside world, it is harsh, but effective, Don now cannot control the clan from here. But the mafia itself has undergone a major transformation in recent years, brutal and armed mafiosi are a thing of the past, and the mafia’s destiny is the economy. But here they, rather, even gained strength. For example, in the Sicilian resort of Trapani, the local mafia is very strong and firmly holds the economy of the commune in its hands. In the very north of Italy, in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, mafiosi from Calabria are actively buying cafes and restaurants. It's simple, this is how money is laundered - at the tax office, the bar owner claims that he sold 100 cups of coffee, but in fact, 10. The money from 90 unsold cups becomes clean. Another popular business of the mafia is large supermarkets on the outskirts of the city, where a lot of money passes through and it is easy to launder dirty cash. In Sicily, most of the large stores retail chains belongs to mafia clans. That is, the mafia itself is practically invisible; it has transformed into a criminal financial institution.

In Sicily the mafia is strongest in major cities- Palermo, Catania, etc. But there are areas where there is no mafia - these are Ragusa and Syracuse. At the same time, the main income of mafia clans or families remained trafficking in drugs, weapons and racketeering. True, as I was told, business is not conducted very aggressively. That is, it is quite possible to ask permission and conduct a similar business in a neighboring area. You can pay the mafia in any currency and in the regions, for example, when selling drugs in Germany (an active partner of the Sicilian mafia), you can receive payment on the spot with weapons and vice versa. A kind of exchange transaction.

Expats are also likely to be involved in this business - whether the newcomer is selling trinkets or selling drugs - its activities are connected and partially controlled by the mafia. Local communities of the same Sri Lankans pay the mafia. The racket has not gone away either; if you want to do business without problems, pay. Not everyone experiences this, but they can. Cafe and shop owners form associations and support each other if one of their members faces threats or their property is damaged. For example, the tourist services office in Palermo or the cafe-bar in Terrasini, with this sticker they inform that they do not pay extortionists.

Another type of business, the results of which I was able to personally familiarize myself with, is theft during construction highways. In Sicily there are really bad roads, there, of course, the situation is not like ours - somewhere there is an excellent highway, but somewhere there is a rut, no, it’s just that the level of roads throughout the island is approximately the same and it is bad, for Europe, at least. Many sections of roads are being repaired, that is, they are fenced off, there are a lot of signs, but no work is being done. It is believed that the mafia steals about 50% of the cost of the road and it is in its interests to constantly maintain the condition of the roads in poor, pre-repair condition. Related to this are problems with railway communication in Sicily - railways not much, trains run infrequently. The mafia simply does not allow railway transport to develop, since there is nothing special to steal or it is difficult to control transportation.

But murders still happen, although their numbers have dropped sharply. If in the 70s the mafia in Sicily killed about 300 people a year, now it is 6-7 people during the same period. The police, however, also act harshly. I was told about a case when one of the mafiosi was found tied up on the railway tracks, the police took advantage of the situation and accused him of preparing to blow up the railway track.

The Sicilian and Italian mafia is not a fairy tale and the lot of filmmakers, it really exists, and although its clans are not as strong as before, and many have moved to a semi-legal position, it is still dangerous and is constantly being fought against.

on Palermo street

Until 1963, the Italian mafia was something of a myth for other countries, even the FBI did not recognize its existence, until a certain Cosa Nostra small fry, Joe Valachi, avoided death penalty, exposed the mafia, outlining in detail all its ins and outs. By the way, then, for violating the vow of silence, angry mafiosi tried to “sew” a traitor who was in prison until his death.

We can say that the mafia was a secret society, about which only rumors circulated among ordinary people; the entire system was shrouded in an aura of secrecy.

After Valachi's confession, the Italian mafia became a truly fashionable phenomenon, its image romanticized in media, literature and cinema. The most famous book about the Italian mafia, “The Godfather” by Mario Puzo, was written 6 years after the exposure; later, based on it, a whole saga about the Corleone family was filmed. The prototype of Vito Corleone was Joe Bonanno, the godfather of one of the “Five Families” that control organized crime in New York.

Why did crime families come to be called "mafia"?

Historians still argue about what the word “mafia” means. According to one version, it is an abbreviation of the motto of the uprising of 1282, which promoted the slogan: “Death to France! Breathe, Italy!” (Morte alla Francia Italia Anelia). Unhappy Sicily was forever besieged by foreign invaders. Others believe that this word appeared only in the 17th century and has an Arabic root meaning “protector”, “refuge”.

Strictly speaking, the mafia is precisely a Sicilian group; in other parts of Italy and the world, clans called themselves differently (for example, “Camorra” in Naples). But with the increasing influence of the mafia on other regions of Italy and throughout the world, the word has become a household word; now they are used by any major criminal organization: Japanese, Russian, Albanian mafias.

A little history

Under the guise Robin The Hood crime families protected the poor from raids by pirates, foreign aggressors, and oppression by feudal lords beginning in the 9th century. The government did not help the peasants, they did not trust foreigners, so the poor had no one to rely on except the mafia. And although the mafiosi also took considerable bribes from them and imposed their own laws, there was still order with them and guaranteed protection.

The mafia was finally formed as an organization in the 19th century, and the peasants themselves placed criminals “on the throne,” not wanting to obey the exploiters who ruled at that time - the Bourbons. So in 1861 the mafia officially became political force. They got into parliament and got the opportunity to control the political situation in the country, and the mafiosi themselves turned into a kind of aristocracy.

Once upon a time, the mafia extended its influence only to agriculture. But already at the beginning of the 20th century, mafiosi began to actively interfere in city affairs, helping one or another deputy win elections, for which he generously rewarded them. Now the influence of the mafia has spread to mainland Italy.

Maybe the mafiosi would have lived without knowing anyone’s refusal, swimming in money and enjoying unlimited power, but in 1922 the fascists came to power. The dictator Mussolini did not tolerate the mafia as a second power, and then indiscriminately imprisoned thousands of people as involved in mafia affairs. Of course, such a tough policy bore fruit for several decades; the mafiosi lay low.

In the 50s and 60s, the mafia again raised its head and the Italian government had to begin an official fight against crime; a special body was created - the Antimafia.

And the mafiosi turned into real businessmen. Most often, they acted according to the iceberg principle: at the top there is legal low-budget activity, and under the water there is a whole block hidden, drug trafficking, “protection” of business or prostitution. This is how money is laundered to this day. Over time, many families have developed the legal side of the business so much that they have become successful entrepreneurs in the restaurant business and food industry.

In the 1980s, a brutal clan war began, in which so many people died that the new generation of mafiosi chose to engage only in legal business, while maintaining mutual responsibility and other signs of a secret organization.

But don’t think that the Italian mafia is reaching its end. last days. In March 2000, a scandal erupted in Italy: the police had to arrest several Sicilian judges suspected of close collaboration with the mafia.

Although the mafiosi were partly legalized, they did not leave the scene at all. In the south of Italy it is still impossible to open your own business without enlisting the support of local authorities. Over the past 10 years, the Italian government has been actively fighting the mafia, conducting “cleanses” and removing mafiosi from key positions.

How did the mafiosi end up in America?

Due to terrible poverty, from 1872 until the First World War, Sicilians emigrated to America in droves. Luckily for them, Prohibition was just introduced there, which helped them develop their illegal business and accumulate capital. The Sicilians completely recreated their customs on the new land and earned so much that their total income was several times higher than the income of the largest American companies. American and Italian mafiosi never lost touch with each other and faithfully preserved common traditions.

In America, the organized crime that emerged from Sicily is called “Cosa Nostra” (in Italian this means “our business” - they say, don’t stick your nose into someone else’s issue). Now the entire Sicilian mafia is often collectively called “Cosa Nostra”. One of the Sicilian clans that returned to their homeland from America also bears this name.

Structure of the Italian mafia

The boss or godfather is the head of the family. Information flows to him about all the affairs of his family and the plans of his enemies. The boss is elected by vote.

The underboss is the first deputy godfather. Appointed solely by the boss himself and responsible for the actions of all capos.

The consigliere is the family's chief adviser, whom the boss can completely trust.

A caporegime or capo is the head of a "team" that operates in a single family-controlled area. Teams are required to give the boss a portion of their income every month.

The soldier is the youngest member of the family who has recently been “inducted” into the organization. Soldiers are formed into teams of up to 10 people, led by capos.

An accomplice is a person who has a certain status in mafia circles, but is not yet considered a family member. It can act, for example, as an intermediary in the sale of drugs.

Laws and traditions respected by the mafiosi

In 2007, the influential godfather Salvadore Lo Piccolo was arrested in Italy and a secret document called “The Ten Commandments of Cosa Nostra” was seized. Basically from it we know the traditions of the Italian mafia.

• Each group “works” in a certain area and other families should not meddle there.
• Initiation ritual for newcomers: a recruit’s finger is wounded and his blood is poured over the icon. He takes the icon in his hand and it is lit. The beginner must endure the pain until the icon burns. At the same time, he says: “Let my flesh burn, like this saint, if I break the laws of the mafia.”
• The family cannot include: police officers and those who have police officers among their relatives; That, Whocheating on his wife or among his relatives there are those Whochange spouses; as well as people who violated the laws of honor.
• Family members respect their wives and never look at their friends' wives.
• Omerta is the mutual responsibility of all clan members. Joining the organization is for life, no one can leave the business. At the same time, the organization is responsible for each of its members; if someone has offended him, she and only she will administer justice.
• For an insult, the offender must be killed.
• The death of a family member is an insult that is washed away in blood. Bloody revenge for a loved one is called “vendetta.”
• The kiss of death is a special signal given by mafia bosses or capos, meaning that this family member has become a traitor and must be killed.
• Code of silence - a ban on disclosing the secrets of the organization.
• Betrayal is punishable by the murder of the traitor and all his relatives.

Contrary to established ideas about the mafia, the “code of honor” is often violated: mutual betrayals, denunciations against each other to the police are no longer uncommon today.

In conclusion let's say...

Despite the seemingly fabulous wealth of the mafia leaders, it is mostly the poor from the Italian south who dream of such a career. After all, this is a very dangerous business and, upon closer examination, not so profitable. After paying off all the bribes, confiscating some of the illegal goods by the police, constantly spending money to protect yourself and your family, there is not much left. Many mafiosi are killed stupidly during banal drug deals. Today, not everyone can live according to the laws of honor, and there is no way back, contrary to the assurances of American melodramas like “Blue-Eyed Mickey.”

Despite the fact that Hollywood tirelessly uses images of the mafia, which have long become a cliché, there are still illegal groups in the world that control industry, engage in smuggling, cybercrime and even shape the global economy of countries.

So where are they located and which ones are the most famous in the world?

Yakuza

This is not a myth, they exist and, by the way, were among the first to make significant efforts to help after the tsunami in Japan in 2011. The traditional areas of interest of the Yakuza are underground gambling, prostitution, drug trafficking, arms and ammunition trafficking, racketeering, production or sale of counterfeit products, car theft and smuggling. More sophisticated gangsters engage in financial fraud. Members of the group are distinguished by beautiful tattoos, which are usually hidden under clothes.

Mungiki

This is one of the most aggressive sects in Kenya, which arose in 1985 in the settlements of the Kikuyu people in the central part of the country. The Kikuyu gathered their own militia in order to protect the Maasai lands from government militants who wanted to suppress the resistance of the rebellious tribe. The sect, in essence, was a street gang. Later, large detachments were formed in Nairobi, which engaged in local racketeering transport companies transporting passengers around the city (taxi companies, car parks). They then switched to waste collection and disposal. Each slum resident was also obliged to pay representatives of the sect a certain amount in exchange for a quiet life in his own shack.

Russian mafia

This is officially the most feared organized crime group. Former FBI special agents call the Russian mafia "the most dangerous people on Earth." In the West, the term “Russian mafia” can mean any criminal organizations, both Russian and from other countries post-Soviet space, or from the immigration environment in foreign countries. Some get hierarchical tattoos, often use military tactics and carry out contract killings.

Hell's Angels

Considered an organized crime group in the United States. This is one of the world's largest motorcycle clubs (Hells Angels Motorcycle Club), which has an almost mythical history and branches all over the world. According to the legend posted on the official website of the motorcycle club, during the Second World War the American Air Force had the 303rd heavy bomber squadron called “Hell’s Angels”. After the end of the war and the disbandment of the unit, the pilots were left without work. They believe that their homeland betrayed them and left them to their fate. They had no choice but to go against their “cruel country, get on motorcycles, join motorcycle clubs and rebel.” Along with legal activities (sales of motorcycles, motorcycle repair shops, sale of goods with symbols), the Hells Angels are known for illegal activities (sale of weapons, drugs, racketeering, control of prostitution, and so on).

Sicilian Mafia: La Cosa Nostra

The organization began its activities in the second half of the 19th century, when the Sicilian and American mafia were the strongest. Initially, Cosa Nostra was engaged in the protection (including the most brutal methods) of owners of orange plantations and nobles who owned large land plots. By the beginning of the 20th century, it had turned into an international criminal group, whose main activity was banditry. The organization has a clear hierarchical structure. Its members often resort to highly ritualistic methods of revenge, and also have a number of complex rites of initiation for men into the group. They also have their own code of silence and secrecy.

Albanian mafia

There are 15 clans in Albania that control most of Albanian organized crime. They control drug trafficking and are involved in human and weapons trafficking. They also coordinate the supply of large quantities of heroin to Europe.

Serbian mafia

Various criminal gangs based in Serbia and Montenegro, consisting of ethnic Serbs and Montenegrins. Their activities are quite diverse: drug trafficking, smuggling, racketeering, contract killings, gambling and information trading. Today there are about 30-40 active criminal gangs in Serbia.

Montreal Mafia Rizzuto

The Rizzuto are a crime family that is primarily based in Montreal but also operates in the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. They once merged with families in New York, which ultimately led to the mafia wars in Montreal in the late 70s. Rizzuto owns hundreds of millions of dollars worth of real estate in different countries. They own hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, construction, food, service and trading companies. In Italy they own companies producing furniture and Italian delicacies.

Mexican drug cartels

Mexican drug cartels have existed for several decades; since the 1970s, some government agencies Mexico. Mexican drug cartels have intensified since the collapse of the Colombian drug cartels, Medellin and Colombia, in the 1990s. Currently the main foreign supplier of cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine to Mexico, Mexican drug cartels dominate the wholesale illicit drug market.

Mara Salvatrucha

Slang for "Salvadoran Stray Ant Brigade" and often shortened to MS-13. This gang is found primarily in Central America and is based in Los Angeles (although they operate in other areas North America and Mexico). By different estimates, the number of this brutal crime syndicate ranges from 50 to 300 thousand people. Mara Salvatrucha is involved in many types of criminal businesses, including drug, arms and human trafficking, robbery, racketeering, contract killings, kidnapping for ransom, car theft, money laundering and fraud. Distinctive feature members of the group have tattoos all over their bodies, including on the face and inner lips. They not only show a person’s gang affiliation, but also, with their details, tell about his criminal history, influence and status in the community.

Colombian drug cartels

So, as promised... today I will talk about what excites a person’s mind as soon as the word Sicily is pronounced - about the famous Sicilian mafia. However, fans of “The Godfather” will be disappointed: thanks to the tireless struggle of prosecutor Falcone, the capital of Sicily has today turned into almost the quietest and most peaceful city in all of Italy. They say that the mafia is even more than that - it is very interested in tourists coming to Sicily and Palermo as well, because tourism constitutes a significant part of the income for this island.

"Mafia" is an exclusively Sicilian concept. In other regions of Italy, similar organizations bore and still bear different names (“Ndrangheta” in Calabria, Sacra Corona Unita in Apulia, Camorra in Naples).

It is generally accepted that the mafia is a rather complex, branched criminal organization with its own strict laws and traditions, the history of which goes back to the Middle Ages. In those distant times, in the underground galleries of Palermo, people armed with swords and pikes were hiding, hiding their faces under hoods - members of the mysterious religious sect “Beati Paoli”. The name “mafia” itself appeared in the 17th century. The word is believed to be based on an Arabic root meaning "protection"; there are also other interpretations of it: “refuge”, “poverty”, “secret murder”, “witch”... In the 19th century, the mafia was a brotherhood that protected “the unfortunate Sicilians from foreign exploiters”, in particular from those who ruled in that time of the Bourbons. The struggle ended with a revolution in I860, but the peasants, instead of their previous oppressors, found new ones in the person of their compatriots. Moreover, the latter managed to introduce into the life of Sicilian society the relations and code of conduct that had developed in the depths of the secret terrorist organization. Criminal orientation quickly became the cornerstone of the “brotherhood”; corruption, which it supposedly fought against, was in fact the basis of its existence; mutual assistance turned into mutual responsibility.

In general, after the deaths of Falcone and Borsellino, the most severe repressions were carried out on the island, aimed at destroying the mafia bosses or at least putting them in prison. And they say that now the mafia has a female face, which means that the clans are run by the wives of mafiosi sitting in prison, carrying out all their activities at their direction.

For those who are interested, a little history... Today Palermo Airport bears the names of Falcone and Borsellino, who have become legends in today's Italy.

In the 1950s and 60s of the last century, the Italian government, under pressure from democratic forces, began an official fight against mafia crime. A special body was created - “Antimafia”, and a number of major leaders of this organization were arrested. The next wave of the fight against the mafia swept across the country in the late 70s and early 80s. Prosecutor Giovanni Falcone and his successor Paolo Borsellino, like no one else, worked hard to cleanse Sicily of the mafia. Falcone, who became the prototype for the famous Commissioner of Catania, announced in 1980 that he was starting to fight the “curse of Sicily.” For the first time, he ensured that an arrested criminal violated the law of omerta - a conspiracy of silence that makes the mafia invulnerable - and testified against other mafiosi. Deviation from “omerta” is punishable by death according to the laws of the criminal world. And Falcone convinced the state that people who testify against the Mafia and their families must be protected. With this, he somewhat dispelled the fear of revenge from the powerful clans of Sicily. In addition, Falcone achieved the adoption of an article of the criminal code, according to which mafiosi who end up in prison must be kept in absolute isolation. Thus, the criminal could not direct the actions of his family from prison. In just one of the many trials against the mafia, Falcone sent 342 criminals to prison for a total sentence of 2,665 years. Naturally, Falcone’s activities could not please the mafia, which was accustomed to consider itself the only real power in Sicily. And the criminal community took retaliatory steps. In 1992, Giovanni Falcone and his wife were blown up in a car on their way from the airport to the city.

Today, members of the mafia are not as conspicuously conspicuous as we had the pleasure of seeing in the films “The Godfather” or “Once Upon a Time in America”, they do not walk around the city in elegant suits and highly polished shoes. Or rather, all these attributes of wealth, of course, are present in the current members, but the mafia has firmly established itself in politics and business, having completely lost its former luster. Today in Sicily there are no companies, small or large, that do not pay their percentage to the mafia, no matter who writes about this.

It is reliably known that small shops pay from 500 to 1000 euros per quarter, jewelry stores and others selling expensive goods - 2500-3000 euros, large stores pay 5000 euros. Shop owners whose family members are in prison are exempt from taxes, as are merchants whose relatives serve in the police. Shop owners who lost loved one, are exempt from payments for one quarter. If a person decides to open a new store in Sicily, then he has to pay a large amount of money to obtain permission from the mafia. Mafiosi who come to Sicily from other regions must give 3% of their income to the local mafia bosses.

No one would ever dare to do something like this while living on this island... this is not my opinion, but what I heard from different people with whom we were able to talk on this topic. They all began to speak quite reluctantly, trying to remain silent, but the husband knows how to talk anyone out, and people began to tell him their stories and how everything really was.

The mafia is alive! And there's nothing you can do about it!