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The Mafia.

The Mafia.

De : Popular Culture and Religion.
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 The Mafia, or Cosa Nostra, is a highly structured, secret criminal organization originating in 19th-century Sicily and expanding to the U.S. in the early 1900s. Characterized by strict codes of silence (omerta) and loyalty, these groups engage in extortion, drug trafficking, gambling, and labor racketeering.Copyright Popular Culture and Religion.
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  • 14 - Characteristics.

    14 - Characteristics.
    Mar 6 2026
    Characteristics. In 2007, Italian anti-organized crime agencies estimated the 'Ndrangheta's annual revenue to be approximately €35–40 billion (equivalent to US$35–40 billion), representing roughly 3.5% of Italy's GDP. This revenue is primarily generated from illicit drug trafficking, but also from ostensibly legitimate businesses such as construction, restaurants, and supermarkets. The 'Ndrangheta is considered to exert significant control over the economy and governance of Calabria. According to a leaked US Embassy cable, the organization controls substantial portions of the region's territory and economy, accounting for at least three percent of Italy's GDP through activities including drug trafficking, extortion, skimming of public contracts, and usury. A key distinction between the 'Ndrangheta and other mafia-type organizations, such as the Sicilian Mafia, lies in recruitment methods. The 'Ndrangheta primarily recruits members based on blood relations, fostering strong cohesion within family clans, which presents considerable challenges for law enforcement investigations. Sons of ndranghetisti are generally expected to follow in their fathers' criminal careers, undergoing a socialization process from a young age to become giovani d'onore ('boys of honour') before formally joining the ranks as uomini d'onore ('men of honour'). Compared to the Sicilian Mafia during the early 1990s, relatively few Calabrian mafiosi have become collaborators with the state; by the end of 2002, there were 157 Calabrian witnesses in the state witness protection program. Furthermore, the 'Ndrangheta has generally avoided direct, overt confrontations with the Italian state. Prosecutions in Calabria are reportedly hampered by the tendency of Italian judges and prosecutors who achieve high exam scores to preferentially choose postings outside of Calabria. Those assigned to Calabria often seek immediate transfers. Combined with a limited government presence and instances of official corruption, a climate of fear and reluctance to cooperate with law enforcement prevails among civilians in the region. Alex Perry's 2018 book, The Good Mothers: The True Story of the Women Who Took on the World's Most Powerful Mafia, asserts that over the past decade, the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta has been supplanting the Sicilian Cosa Nostra as the dominant drug trafficking organization in North America. Activities. According to the Italian DIA (Direzione Investigativa Antimafia, Department of the Police of Italy against organized crime) and Guardia di Finanza (Italian Financial Police and Customs Police), the 'Ndrangheta is considered "one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the world." The 'Ndrangheta's economic activities encompass international smuggling of cocaine and weapons. Italian investigators have estimated that approximately 80% of Europe's cocaine transits through the Calabrian port of Gioia Tauro and is controlled by the 'Ndrangheta. However, a report by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and Europol indicates that the Iberian peninsula is considered the primary entry point for cocaine into Europe and a major gateway to the European market. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated that in 2007, cocaine interceptions in Spain (almost 38 metric tons) were nearly ten times greater than in Italy (almost 4 metric tons). 'Ndrangheta and Sicilian Cosa Nostra groups are known to engage in joint ventures in cocaine trafficking operations. Additional activities include skimming funds from large public works projects, money laundering, and traditional criminal activities such as usury and extortion. The 'Ndrangheta reportedly invests illicit profits in legitimate real estate and financial ventures. In February 2017, Italian Carabinieri reportedly arrested 33 individuals suspected of involvement with the Piromalli 'ndrina, a clan associated with the 'Ndrangheta. The arrests were linked to allegations of exporting fraudulently labeled olive oil to the United States. According to reports, inexpensive olive pomace oil was being marketed as more expensive extra virgin olive oil. Earlier, in 2016, the American television program 60 Minutes broadcast a segment that cautioned about the infiltration of the olive oil industry by organized crime, stating that "Agromafia" constituted a $16 billion per year enterprise. Estimates from Eurispes (Institute of Political, Economic and Social Studies), an Italian private research institute, placed the 'Ndrangheta's business volume at approximately €44 billion in 2007. This figure represented about 2.9% of Italy's GDP. Drug trafficking was identified as the most lucrative activity, accounting for 62% of the total revenue. History. In 1861, the prefect of Reggio Calabria noted the presence of groups referred to as camorristi. This term was used at the time as a general descriptor for organized crime in the region, as the '...
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    6 min
  • 13 - Power structure.

    13 - Power structure.
    Mar 6 2026
    Power structure. Historically, individual family power structures served as the primary governing bodies within both Cosa Nostra and the 'Ndrangheta. These family structures have remained central to power dynamics, even after the establishment of superordinate bodies. While Cosa Nostra created the Sicilian Mafia Commission in the 1950s, the 'Ndrangheta established a superordinate body only in 1991, following negotiations to resolve prolonged inter-family conflicts. However, the notion of absolute autonomy for Calabrian crime families prior to this period is not universally supported by historical evidence. Evidence suggests that mechanisms for coordination and dispute resolution have existed since at least the late 19th century, with frequent interactions and meetings among bosses of locali. Operation Crimine, a significant investigation culminating in the arrest of 305 'Ndrangheta members in July 2010, indicated a more hierarchical, unified, and pyramidal structure than previously understood. Italy's chief anti-mafia prosecutor, Pietro Grasso, described the organization as not solely clan-based. While the legal classification of the 'Ndrangheta as a hierarchical structure is advantageous for Italian criminal law, enabling broader convictions through the doctrine of criminal association, some criminologists dispute the view of the 'Ndrangheta as a consistently monolithic organization. Criminologist Anna Sergi suggests that while coordinating structures exist, they primarily serve to facilitate business ventures and risk sharing among distinct clans. According to this perspective, clans remain independent territorial units rooted in family ties, and do not consistently operate under a unified strategic plan. Sergi argues that "'Ndrangheta" functions more as a brand than a description of a tightly integrated organization. She posits that the misconception of the 'Ndrangheta as a singular entity may inadvertently benefit these groups, allowing them to leverage the organization's international reputation to exploit political vulnerabilities, invest in new enterprises, and expand their influence. Since at least the 1950s, chiefs of 'Ndrangheta locali have reportedly convened regularly near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi in San Luca during the September Feast. These annual gatherings, known as the crimine, have traditionally provided a forum for discussing future strategies and resolving disputes among locali. The assembly exercises limited supervisory authority over the activities of all 'Ndrangheta groups. Emphasis is placed on the temporary nature of the crimine boss's position, with a new representative elected at each meeting. Contrary to the "boss of bosses" concept, the capo crimine is believed to possess relatively limited power to intervene in family conflicts or regulate inter-family violence. During these meetings, each boss is expected to "give account of all the activities carried out during the year and of all the most important facts taking place in his territory such as kidnappings, homicides, etc." The historical prominence of the San Luca family is such that any new group or locale is reportedly required to obtain authorization from San Luca to operate. Furthermore, each 'Ndrangheta group "still has to deposit a small percentage of illicit proceeds to the principale of San Luca in recognition of the latter's primordial supremacy". Security concerns within the 'Ndrangheta have led to the formation of a secret society within the larger organization, known as La Santa. Membership in La Santa is exclusive, known only to fellow members. In a departure from traditional code, La Santa allowed bosses to cultivate close relationships with state officials, with some even becoming affiliated with La Santa. These connections were often facilitated through Freemasonry, which santisti were permitted to join, despite it being another breach of traditional 'Ndrangheta code. Since the conclusion of the Second 'Ndrangheta war in 1991, the 'Ndrangheta has been governed by a collegial body or Commission, known as La Provincia. Its primary function is to mediate and resolve inter-family disputes. This body, also referred to as the Commission in reference to the Sicilian counterpart, comprises three subordinate bodies known as mandamenti. These include a mandamento for clans on the Ionic side of Calabria (including the Aspromonte mountains and Locride), a second for the Tyrrhenian side (the plains of Gioia Tauro), and a central mandamento for the city of Reggio Calabria. A July 2019 article published in Canada summarized the traditional 'Ndrangheta structure. According to this report: "For decades, the 'Ndrangheta families of Siderno operating in Canada—about seven of them—have been governed by a board of directors, called the "camera di controllo", or chamber of control. The local board, as in other countries around the world and other regions of Italy where clans have spread, have ...
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    5 min
  • 12 - Organizational structure.

    12 - Organizational structure.
    Mar 6 2026
    Structure. Organizational structure. Similar to the Sicilian Cosa Nostra, the 'Ndrangheta is structured as a loose confederation of approximately one hundred groups, referred to as cosche or families. Each group asserts authority over a specific territory, typically a town or village, although their control over the monopoly of violence in these areas is not always absolute or fully legitimized. Estimates suggest that there are around 100 of these families, encompassing between 4,000 and 5,000 members within Reggio Calabria. Other estimates indicate a membership of 6,000–7,000 individuals, with a potential worldwide membership reaching approximately 10,000. The majority of these groups, numbering around 86, are active in the Province of Reggio Calabria. It is also believed that a portion of the reported 70 criminal groups based in the Calabrian provinces of Catanzaro and Cosenza maintain formal affiliations with the 'Ndrangheta. These family groups are primarily concentrated in impoverished towns and villages within Calabria, including Platì, Locri, San Luca, Africo, and Altomonte, as well as in Reggio Calabria, the main city and provincial capital. San Luca is widely regarded as a significant stronghold of the 'Ndrangheta. According to testimony from a former 'ndranghetista, "almost all the male inhabitants belong to the 'Ndrangheta," and the Sanctuary of Polsi has historically served as a meeting place for affiliates. Bosses from regions outside Calabria, including Canada and Australia, are reported to regularly attend meetings at the Sanctuary of Polsi, suggesting that 'ndrine globally perceive themselves as part of a unified collective entity. The fundamental local organizational unit within the 'Ndrangheta is the locale (local or place), which exercises jurisdiction over a town or a specific area within a larger urban center. A locale may encompass branches known as 'ndrina (plural: 'ndrine), which can be situated in different districts of the same city, in neighbouring towns or villages, or even outside Calabria. Notably, 'ndrine have been established in cities and towns in Northern Italy, particularly in the industrial regions around Turin and Milan. The presence of the 'Ndrangheta in Northern Italy can be traced back to the early 1960s, driven by a wave of labour migration from Calabria and the implementation of soggiorno obbligato – a policy of mandatory internal exile intended to isolate crime bosses from their home towns and criminal base in Calabria and Sicily. However, lawmakers failed to foresee that this strategy would backfire, effectively facilitating the northward expansion of mafia activity. A notable case is that of Bardonecchia, an alpine town in Piedmont near Turin, where Rocco Lo Presti was relocated in 1963. He was later joined by his cousin, Francesco Mazzaferro. Their criminal involvement in the local construction sector drew the attention of the Parliamentary Antimafia Commission, which conducted its first-ever inspection in Northern Italy in 1973, focusing on Bardonecchia. Lo Presti and Mazzaferro were identified as the dominant figures of the 'Ndrangheta in the Val di Susa area. Ultimately, in 1995, Bardonecchia became the first municipality in Northern Italy to be dissolved for suspected mafia infiltration, resulting in Lo Presti’s arrest. The towns of Corsico and Buccinasco in Lombardy are also considered to be 'Ndrangheta strongholds. Sub-units known as sotto 'ndrine are sometimes established. These subunits possess considerable autonomy, with their own leadership and staff. In some instances, 'ndrine have reportedly become more influential than the locale to which they are formally subordinate. Other perspectives suggest that the 'ndrina itself is the fundamental organizational unit. According to the Antimafia Commission, each 'ndrina operates autonomously within its territory, with no formal authority above the 'ndrina boss. Typically, an 'ndrina controls a small town or a neighborhood. In cases where multiple 'ndrine operate within the same town, they may form a locale. Within the 'Ndrangheta, membership in a crime family and blood relations are significantly intertwined. 'Ndrine predominantly consist of individuals from the same family lineage. Salvatore Boemi, an anti-mafia prosecutor in Reggio Calabria, informed the Italian Antimafia Commission that membership is often acquired "for the simple fact of being born into a mafia family." While other factors may attract individuals to seek membership, and non-kin have been admitted, familial ties remain central. Marriages serve to strengthen relationships within 'ndrine and expand membership. Consequently, each group is often composed of a few core blood families, leading to situations where "a high number of people with the same last name often end up being prosecuted for membership of a given 'ndrina." Given the absence of membership limits within a unit, bosses may prioritize maximizing ...
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    6 min
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