Chapter Five: Italian Organized Crime And The Albanian Conne

Chapter Fiveitalian Organized Crimeand The Albanian Connectionabadinsk

Chapter Fiveitalian Organized Crimeand The Albanian Connectionabadinsk

Our focus will be on criminal organizations that have affected, or have the potential to affect, the United States. We will begin our examination with four of these criminal organizations— Mafia, Camorra, ’Ndrangheta, and the Sacra Corona Unita (with its Albanian connection)—which have their roots in southern Italy, the Mezzogiorno. The southern Italian experience dates back more than 1000 years, leading to a culture emphasizing variables necessary for survival in a hostile environment, such as respect, violence, and loyalty to family. Omertà, a code of silence and non-cooperation with authorities, and the vendetta, an obligation to avenge offenses against family, are central to this culture. Loyalty was strictly to the famiglia—the family—including blood relatives and organized hierarchically under a patriarch.

The Mezzogiorno region remained mired in feudalism, dependent on agriculture, and exploited through corruption, intimidation, and government infiltration. Public works projects were hijacked by mafia-controlled firms, controlling a share of public contracts. From this environment, three main criminal organizations emerged: the Neapolitan Camorra, Calabrian ’Ndrangheta, and the Sicilian Mafia (Cosa Nostra).

The Sicilian Mafia

Sicily, an island in the Mediterranean, historically maintained a brutal form of order through Mafia clans that protected the landed elite and outlaws. During the 19th century, Sicily's government policies and landowning aristocracy fostered the Mafia’s growth. The term “mafia” originates from Sicilian-Arabic roots, expressing attitudes of mutual aid, loyalty, secrecy, and defiance against authority—values central to Sicilian identity. Mafiosi did not invoke formal law but relied on reputation, toughness, and private violence due to the lack of effective state policing.

Mussolini’s crackdown on the Mafia in the 1920s led to the rise of a new political and criminal landscape, with the Mafia infiltrating Fascist regimes and re-emerging after WWII as the Nuovo Mafia or “New Mafia.” The postwar era saw a renaissance fueled by social upheaval and a power vacuum, with mafiosi taking positions as local leaders and resisting reforms. The New Mafia, influenced by American gangsters deported to Sicily, shifted focus towards urban enterprise, including drug trafficking and racketeering, with figures like Totò Riina becoming notorious.

Politics and the Mafia

Italy’s political system has historically intertwined with organized crime, especially in the Mezzogiorno. The Christian Democratic Party and local politicians often depended on Mafia support, which ensured electoral outcomes without overt coercion. The Mafia’s influence extended from voter intimidation to control over public contracts, enabling a system of clientelism and corruption that persisted across decades.

The Structure of the Mafia

The core of the Mafia is the padrino or capomafioso, around whom a network of relationships—patronage, kinship, and friendship—forms a cosca. This hierarchy is flexible, allowing for adaptability in illegal ventures. Mafiosi act as brokers, providing services such as vote rigging, violence, and business protection, while maintaining a code of silence or omertà to safeguard their operations. Kinship ties reinforce cohesion, with family members often admitted into the organization through ritual ceremonies, creating a tightly knit network. The New Mafia’s membership exceeds 5,000, organized into approximately 180 cosche.

The Transition from Respect to Gangsterism

Initially seen as un uomo di rispetto—men of respect—the Mafia evolved into urban gangs akin to American model crime groups. Anti-Mafia movements gained momentum, notably with protests following the murders of prosecutors Falcone and Borsellino in the 1990s. These events eroded the Mafia’s societal support, leading to a decline in their overt influence but not their criminal resilience.

The Neapolitan Camorra

The Camorra, founded in Spanish prisons in the 19th century, controls Naples with a centralized, hierarchical structure and a parallel legal system. It has shifted from a traditional family-based entity to a more fluid and less structured organization involved in drug trafficking, counterfeiting, and extortion. Its financial network extends across Europe, the US, and South America, laundering proceeds into legal enterprises.

The ’Ndrangheta

From Calabria, the ’Ndrangheta features a mafia hierarchy similar to other Italian organizations, with strong participation by women. Its operations include kidnapping, international drug and arms trafficking, extortion, and control of public contracts. ’Ndrangheta’s reach spans from Italy to Canada and Australia, exploiting local vulnerabilities and maintaining strict confidentiality through omertà.

Sacra Corona Unita and the Albanian Connection

Founded in 1983 in prison, the Sacra Corona Unita (SCU) emerged partly in response to the Camorra’s expansion. It operates with a horizontal structure of approximately 45 autonomous clans, engaging in weapons, drugs, and migrant smuggling across the Adriatic, with strong ties to Balkan countries, especially Albania. The Albanian groups, predominantly Muslim and clan-based, leverage chaos and weak central authority to expand trafficking networks for drugs, weapons, and people across Europe and beyond.

The Albanian Connection

Albanian organized crime exploits familial and clan ties, operating in a climate of political instability and systemic corruption. Their trafficking activities include economic migrants, drugs, contraband, weapons, and prostitution. The connection between SCU and Albanian groups highlights the transnational nature of modern organized crime, with joint ventures facilitating the movement of illicit commodities from Southeast Europe into Italy, the US, and other markets.

Transition to American Organized Crime

Italian immigrants, particularly from the Mezzogiorno, established strong organized crime networks in the United States, especially in New York and Chicago. The American Mafia, developed through migration and adaptation, became deeply integrated into societal institutions, controlling labor unions, industries, and political entities. Following early conflicts such as the Castellammarese War, the Five Families of New York emerged, characterized by a hierarchical structure centered around a boss, underboss, consiglieri, captains, and soldiers.

The American Mafia’s structure is loosely linked to its criminal activities, allowing for operational flexibility. The "commission"—a regulatory body—oversees relationships, resolves disputes, and sanctions leadership decisions. Many operations are informal and ad hoc, with revenues from legitimate businesses and illegal ventures like racketeering, loan sharking, and future drug trafficking.

The Chicago Model and Its Significance

Chicago's organized crime history is marked by the Outfit’s cooperation with other groups and a distinct leadership style. Led by a CEO-type boss and a small board, the Outfit’s street crews operate independently within geographic zones. Politically, the Outfit has historically influenced elections, controlled vice, gambling, and labor rackets, and maintained alliances with diverse ethnic groups, resulting in a resilient, adaptable crime syndicate. The 2004 "Operation Family Secrets" exemplifies ongoing efforts to dismantle the organization’s secretive operations.

Conclusion

The evolution of Italian organized crime from historical roots in southern Italy to transnational enterprises and their integration into American society demonstrates the complexity and resilience of these networks. Their ability to adapt to political, economic, and cultural changes, coupled with international links, underscores the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in combating organized crime in its various forms.

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