Italian Groups In South America

[Five Felonies]

i know there were some visually impressive charts posted a while back on the old site, but the accuracy of them was never really discussed/debated. i think this region, with its easily corrupted governments, has been the spot that has allowed the italian groups to prosper more than any other due to the drug contacts alone. there's a reason the 'Ndrangheta have risen to the top of the organized crime world and it isn't their backroom card games, it''s their drug contacts. also interesting, what seems like the vast majority of italy's most wanted end up getting snagged there. columbia, argentinia, venezuela and bazil seem to be the hotbead of activity, but i'm sure cells are operating in other places in both south and central america as well. any and all info in welcomed, connections to groups in north american in particular. thanks.

[scagghiuni]

italian mafia has several cells in south america, there are 2 cosa nostra families in venezuela one of them founded by giuseppe caruana, the caruana-cuntrera have links all across south america,several calabrians currently live in colombia, leonardo badalamenti is a millionaire mafia man and he lives in brazil... camorra has also several members living there

[Rocco]

They got Guineas down there too..?

[toto]

I don't think corruption is the only reason so many mafia guys went to South America. It is only a small part of the story. The real reason in my view is the presence of large Italian host communities. In the past they used to go to Tunisia or Libya or France when they were on the lam because there were large Sicilian communities there for example. Today, it is South America or Germany or sometimes, US, or Canada or England. It depends on who they know there and how they think they will be able to cope being in a new country. Venezuela has a large amount of Italian speakers and Brazil has a large Italian community. Proximity to drug trafficking might also play a role as you mentioned.

I think with Internet connections and mobile networks now present in pretty much every country it's not such a big issue any more. I think it is more related that you can maintain contact across borders much easier than the past. This means we will probably see mafia guys in the future hiding in Africa for example which is now a staging point of cocaine trafficking to Europe as well as diamond smuggling which some of them are beginning to get involved in. I think in one investigation they found some guys were already in West Africa which is where Cocaine is moved to sometimes before moving it to Europe. So I think in the future we will see a wider variety of locations these guys hide in.

[Angelo Santino]

I don't think corruption is the only reason so many mafia guys went to South America. It is only a small part of the story. The real reason in my view is the presence of large Italian host communities. In the past they used to go to Tunisia or Libya or France when they were on the lam because there were large Sicilian communities there for example. Today, it is South America or Germany or sometimes, US, or Canada or England. It depends on who they know there and how they think they will be able to cope being in a new country. Venezuela has a large amount of Italian speakers and Brazil has a large Italian community. Proximity to drug trafficking might also play a role as you mentioned.

I think with Internet connections and mobile networks now present in pretty much every country it's not such a big issue any more. I think it is more related that you can maintain contact across borders much easier than the past. This means we will probably see mafia guys in the future hiding in Africa for example which is now a staging point of cocaine trafficking to Europe as well as diamond smuggling which some of them are beginning to get involved in. I think in one investigation they found some guys were already in West Africa which is where Cocaine is moved to sometimes before moving it to Europe. So I think in the future we will see a wider variety of locations these guys hide in.

1900-1930 there were Calabrian and Sicilian mafias in Buenos Aires that died out. They were connected to the US.

[Bruno187]

While not "technically" South America, Aruba in the Dutch Antilles, is supposedly loaded with Sicilian wiseguys and is relatively close to Venezuela.

[rayray]

On a clear day you can see Venezuela from Aruba. Plus, Aruba has a very friendly banking system that is very attractive to criminals. A few years ago two bookies in my area were caught moving 1 plus million dollars to Aruba, they were also buying real estate on the Island.

[brianwellbrock]

While not "technically" South America, Aruba in the Dutch Antilles, is supposedly loaded with Sicilian wiseguys and is relatively close to Venezuela.

Yeah same with Curacao. Their are a couple hot shot Italians down their, I don't know if they are connected but some have a lot of clout. An Italian had a parliament member whacked their 2 years ago.

[Bruno187]

http://www.tni.org/paper/rothschilds-mafia-aruba

Found this interesting article from way back in 97 where they say the Cuntrera-Caruana's have complete control of the economics of the island.
I remember going there back in the early 90's and I've gotta tell you, there was close to zero crime. Maybe a little petty thievery here and there, but nothing violent. Makes sense now.....if these guys were in charge, they wouldn't want any heat or even worse, any "competition" from other criminals. Zero tolerance model.
Back in the late 70's early 80's Arthur Avenue/187th street in the Bronx was named one of the "safest neighborhoods in America". It was indeed true. Believe it or not, at that time (pre crack epidemic) the wiseguys kept a very tight lid on crime within the neighborhood. Nobody dared step out of line. Probably the same with Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao, although I have heard it's gotten a bit rougher over the past few years.

[Slava]

1900-1930 there were Calabrian and Sicilian mafias in Buenos Aires that died out. They were connected to the US.

I always found it interesting how these mafias died out even though Italian communities in South America (particularly in Argentina) were huge at the time. Argentina is almost like half-Italian if you look at last names of Argentinians, they all have some Italian ancestors. Also, considering the corruption and all that it should have been even easier for them to maintain criminal activities there. If I'm not mistaken the bulk of immigration to South America was from Northern Italy while the southerners settled in USA, that has a lot to do with it probably.