Friends of Ours

Cocaine Bust In Rome, Italy

The Gallace clan from the 'Ndrangheta or Calabrian Mafia and the Romagnoli crime syndicate together run the cocaine trade in Rome, Italy, and police have arrested 23 people for their alleged roles in the joint venture as reported by ANSA.

Australian Police Search For Remains Of Anti-Mafia Activist Donald Mackay

Australian police are digging for the remains of anti-Mafia activist Donald Mackay who was murdered in 1977 by the 'Ndrangheta or Calabrian Mafia after exposing its marijuana-growing operations around Griffith, New South Wales as reported by Keith Moor for the Herald Sun:  "police armed with search warrants and earthmoving equipment began searching a property just west of Hay, New South Wales, after a tip-off that Mr Mackay's body had been dumped there."  James Bazley was convicted as the hired shooter but the mob bosses who ordered the assassination never have been charged.

Italian anti-Mafia prosecutor Vincenzo Macri says that the 'Ndrangheta "certainly" is also behind the murders of Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner Colin Winchester in 1989 and federal police officer Geoffrey Bowen in 1994 as reported by Richard Guilliatt for The Australian.

Clive Small, a former Australian Federal Police assistant commissioner and author of Smack Express, has alleged in the past that his country's Labor Party has deep ties to the Calabrian Mafia, and that the crime group "is a more serious problem now than ever before in Australia and that coincides with its growth internationally" as previously reported by Natalie O'Brien for The Australian:  "he says the nation's most powerful law enforcement agency, the Australian Crime Commission, has not even admitted the Italian mafia exists," and "governments and all political parties now need to decide whether they do something about this or try and just shoot the messenger."

In recent years the 'Ndrangheta has eclipsed Cosa Nostra or the Sicilian Mafia as Italy's most powerful crime group due to its obscene profits from the cocaine trade in Europe, and it has become entrenched in Australia, Canada and the United States with surprisingly little push back from law enforcement in those countries.

The Calabrian Mafia is suspected of backing a breakaway group from Sicilian mobster Vito Rizzuto for control over the drug rackets in Montreal, QB Canada, and the turf war has resulted in dozens of murders over the last few years.

Mob Boss Got Cold Feet

Nino Lo Giudice was slated to testify in court last Wednesday against his fellow clan members from the 'Ndrangheta or Calabrian Mafia, and when he failed to show up authorities feared the worst.  However, it turns out the reputed boss simply had second thoughts about flipping, and on Friday released a video advising that he "did not mean to repent of his mob actions and give evidence against other mafia members, but insisted he was pressured into doing so by prosecutors" as reported by ANSA.

Mobsters Threaten To Torch Restaurateur

Apparently loansharks from the 'Ndrangheta or Calabrian Mafia aren't very nice people.

Eight suspected mobsters from the crime family were upset when a restaurateur was unable to repay his 45,000 euros loan at 180% interest, and the crew allegedly "beat him and members of his family up and threatened to 'burn him alive'" as reported by ANSA.

Drug Bust Targets Montreal Mafia

Montreal police have busted about 25 suspected mobsters allied with Raynald Desjardins for their alleged roles in "a cocaine-trafficking network that operated out of Italian cafés" as reported by The Gazette:

"Right now I can confirm that this was mainly the Italian mob but there could be other gangs involved," said Sgt. Jean-Bruno Latour of Montreal police. "It's still early, we'll have a lot more to report later in the day."

Desjardins allegedly heads a breakaway faction from Vito Rizzuto, and the rival groups have been involved in an ongoing war for control over the city's drug trade.

In December 2011 Desjardins was charged with ordering the hit on ex-Bonanno boss Salvatore "Sal the Ironworker" Montagna after their supposed alliance fell apart in the mob rebellion, and he sits in jail awaiting trial.

The Rizzuto clan is part of Cosa Nostra or the Sicilian Mafia, and Desjardins allegedly is backed by the 'Ndrangheta or Calabrian Mafia.

In recent years the 'Ndrangheta has become Italy's most powerful crime group due to its obscene profits from the cocaine trade in Europe, and it has become entrenched in Australia, Canada and the United States with surprisingly little push back from law enforcement in those countries.

Mafia Clans Lose Assets Worth $100 Million

The life is only fun until someone loses his assets.

Italian police have seized over $100 million in suspected Mafia assets pursuant to two separate investigations.

Yesterday companies, property and funds worth 48 million euros ($62 million) were seized from a business group involved with methane conversion which authorities suspect was backed by the Corleonesi clan from Cosa Nostra or the Sicilian Mafia as reported by ANSA.

And today assets worth 40 million euros ($51.5 million) were seized from multiple businessmen whom authorities suspect were clean names for the Mancuso clan from the 'Ndrangheta or Calabrian Mafia as reported by ANSA.