Angelo Bruno's drug operations

[B.]

It's strange she says in her books that Bruno was made under Avena considering her detailed interviews with Riccobene. He told the FBI Bruno was made in the 1950s under Ida and other sources agree, including Bruno himself on his office bug (he told Joe Magliocco he was made around 1951).

Not sure what her speculation is based on that Bruno financially backed Casella's drug operations, but other than that I agree with her take on Bruno/drugs and she is great at collecting sources and doing hands-on research.

[Wiseguy]

Right now we have the unions and we have the gambling and those are the best things to have. But narcotics is a thing of the future. If we don't get a piece of that action we risk everything we have. Not now, but ten years from now.

[gohnjotti]

According to GohnJotti and Ivan, Bruno must have been pro drug dealing because he didn't go to war with the Gambino family and all of their allies for selling drugs on their turf.

I have no stake in this. But from what the experts are saying, Bruno gave specific people permission to deal. Not Gambinos. His own people. His own, honest to goodness, Philly members.

[B.]

I'm not sure explicit permission was even given. In some of these cases, especially the drug rule where they found loopholes, I imagine some of it was done by omission. They didn't explicitly tell certain people not to traffic drugs.

[Angelo Santino]

I'm not sure explicit permission was even given. In some of these cases, especially the drug rule where they found loopholes, I imagine some of it was done by omission. They didn't explicitly tell certain people not to traffic drugs.

Not every Family may have had a "deal and die" mandate. To be a member in good standing allowed for (laughable) financial support, support for immediate family and legal assistance. Not to mention that if things did go bad in the event of a conviction, said member can go to prison and enjoy the company of other members, and following his release will be welcomed back into the fold. To fall out of favor for a drug 'violation' or whatever else, could result in forfeiting all of the above which, for some, would be a death sentence.

Its also important to remember that drug dealing wasn't glamorized before the 60's, in fact it was probably on the same level as being seen as a pedophile or a rapist, it would often lead to being socially ostracized from family (lower case F), employment etc. The LCN was likely very similar in that they recognized the stigma and publicly denounced it to their members.

[CabriniGreen]

In the modern day, these drug guys would be brokers.... positioned between the suppliers and buyers.

Listening to Gene Borello, he gives a good example of why the mob structure doesnt really work for retail distribution..... you just run into police or stickup guys....

[CabriniGreen]

No one is trying to change anything. It is well known before Leonetti that Bruno took money from known drug traffickers like Harry Riccobene, Long John Marotrano, the Gambino brothers and others. Your being niaeve if you think these bosses don't knowingly take drug money.


And not that is has anything do with this but Bruno was responsible for far more murders than Leonetti. That whole Gentle Don thing was a media creation.


Pogo

I'll never forget the part in, I think Leonettis book, where he said Bruno specifically ordered a guy strangled, and not shot.

I was like, I thought he was kind of a white collar guy or some shit......

[Angelo Santino]

I think Harvey Keitel played a great Angelo Bruno. I never would have seen it and kudos to Scorsese for giving him balls.

[Grouchy Sinatra]

- You know who else owns it?

- Who?

- I do.

- Okay. Who?

- No, I own it. I'm part owner of the place!