Frank Tripi DTO
Alleged by HSI Agent Curtis Ryan to be connected to IOC in Buffalo during Bongiovanni trial 1
Here is a link to the chart I've been putting together on Little Sis:
https://littlesis.org/oligrapher/10333-frank-tripi-dto
Frank Tripi DTO
-Frank was the primary target of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force’s (OCDETF) Operation Past Due
-The DTO is alleged to have an international component in Canada
-The investigation involved multiple states including California and Nevada
-Local Law Enforcement included offices from the ATF, DEA, IRS, state and local agencies including the Niagara Falls Police Department
-The Tripi DTO is alleged to have trafficked cocaine, marijuana, and heroin while laundering money via bulk cash movement by air, wire transfer, business fronts, casinos, and property investments (real estate).
-Alleged to be connected to Italian Organized Crime in Buffalo by SA Curtis Ryan.
Origin of Operation Past Due
Niagara Falls Police, NFPD, narcotics detectives contacted the Buffalo DEA task force regarding drug activity involving a collection agency, Direct Mediators, located at 1615 Pine Avenue, Niagara Falls, New York. NFPD narcotics detectives interviewed an employee that quit after one week of employment at the collection agency that remained anonymous. He/she observed illegal activity such as cocaine, heroin, prescription drugs, and marijuana being sold out of the collection agency. He/she stated that Frank Tripi, the owner of the agency, stayed in the back office which was off limits to the employees.
Scope of Frank Tripi DTO
The geographic scope of this organization has currently been identified as being Santa Cruz, California and the Western New York area, specifically Niagara Falls, New York, and Buffalo, New York.
The total number of participants in this organization has yet to be fully identified. However, it is believed that the organization consists of at least eleven identified members, and likely many more who have yet to be identified.
It is believed that this organization is currently engaged in the distribution of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and various prescription drugs. It is currently believed, based on confidential source information, that this organization is distributing in excess of at least 2 kilograms of cocaine and multiple ounce quantities of heroin, multiple pounds of marijuana, and unknown quantities of prescription drugs per month in the Western New York area.
Tripi is obtaining his heroin from Ohio and driving it back to the Western New York area in vehicles with hidden compartments. Tripi himself is also involved with the coordination of trafficking of cocaine, marijuana, and prescription drugs. It is unknown at the present time how the cocaine and prescription drugs are delivered to Tripi.
Goals of Operation Past Due
The overall goals of this investigation are to identify the totality of this drug-trafficking organization, including but not limited to the commanding and control elements, smuggling routes and methods, distribution networks, methods utilized to avoid apprehension by law enforcement, and money laundering methods.
The Mark and Sam Zito Family
In 2021 Sam Zito and 2 others were convicted of smuggling over 600 pounds marijuana from Canada. See:
https://buffalonews.com/news/local/crim ... 5f0df.html
Sam and Mark Zito are brothers. See:
https://www.mjcoluccifuneralchapel.com/obituary/477340
Their father Mark, a laborer at Local 91, was involved with shady stuff in The Falls. He was alleged to be involved in a fee splitting scheme while on the School Board. See:
https://buffalonews.com/news/zito-is-ar ... 2c047.html And he was alleged to be involved in a travel scandal while on the board:
https://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/lo ... dd170.html
Additionally Mark Zito Sr. started the Niagara Power Coalition, but was accused of using his position with that organization for his personal gain. See:
https://www.niagara-gazette.com/lawyers ... ed1a2.html For payments to son Mark and Fiancé see also:
https://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/lo ... c9e81.html
The Tripi Surname
I’ve got to do a family tree for the Tripi family but an individual named Frank Trip was is involved on criminality back to the early 30’s. I will have to find that article.
In the mid ’70 there were nursing home scandals involving a Frank Tripi and sons Robert and Dennis. Apparently they were extorting patients and families. See:
https://www.nytimes.com/1976/05/06/arch ... es-of.html See also:
https://www.nytimes.com/1975/06/18/arch ... twice.html . See also:
https://buffalonews.newspapers.com/arti ... 162988212/.
A Frank Tripi Jr was accused being involved in a mob connected murder. See
https://buffalonews.newspapers.com/arti ... 162988673/
More recently the Buffalo News indicated that the Frank Tripi above had, also, been acquitted of the murder accusation and for being involved with mob connected gambling. His son Frank Tripi was listed as being involved a mob connected telemarketing business. See:
https://buffalonews.com/article_815cc01 ... 14983.html
Lawrence Panaro
In 1990 Larry Panaro was arrested with Louis Giambrone and Joseph Amoia for being part of the Vegas to Buffalo cocaine trafficking ring connected to the Buffalo mob. See:
https://buffalonews.com/article_4c20478 ... 3ada6.html