Italian Organized Crime: Cosa Nostra, Camorra, 'Ndrangheta, Sacra Corona Unita

Profiles and articles below introduction

By Angelo Carmelo Gallitto

Italian organized crime, divided in Cosa Nostra, ‘Ndrangheta, Camorra and Sacra Corona Unita, is a rich and powerful criminal enterprise with a lot of connections and branches around the world. According to authorities it has about 21.000 “made members” and more than 200.000 “associates”. The biggest moneymakers are drug trafficking, public contracts, extortions, frauds, gambling, weapons, construction, video poker, money laundering, and cigarette smuggling.

Cosa Nostra is the principal organization within Italian organized crime. In Sicily, its birth place, it has about 6.000 “made members” and 60.000 “associates”; according to D.I.A and secret services, Sicilian crime families and crews are also present in the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, England, Spain, Swiss, north eastern Italy, Romania, Serbia, Malta, Libya, Tunisia, Lebanon, South Africa, Namibia and Australia.
The ‘Ndrangheta, located in Calabria, has about 5.000 “made members” and 50.000 “associates”; it has a strong presence in north eastern Italy, Australia and Canada, but it’s present also in United States, Colombia, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Germany, France, Belgium, Swiss, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Turkey, Morocco and Thailand.
The Camorra, located in Campania, with about 8.000 “made members” and 80.000 “associates”, has branches in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, France, England, north eastern Italy, Romania, Poland, Serbia and Australia.
Sacra Corona Unita, located in Puglia, with about 2.000 “made members” and 20.000 “associates”, has branches in north eastern Italy, Greece, Serbia, Albania, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Recent inquiries prove that Italian organized crime is run by a national commission formed by Cosa Nostra and ‘Ndrangheta bosses. This commission decides on strategies and organizes the most important business. Camorra and Sacra Corona Unita, being less-organized, gravitate inside their spheres, but with a strong control of their own territories.

SECTIONS:

COSA NOSTRA
’NDRANGHETA
CAMORRA
SACRA CORONA UNITA

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