Many clans, like the powerful Barbaros, I believe, built up liquidity from KIDNAPPING RICH PEOPLE! Or is this incorrect?MSFRD wrote: ↑Tue Apr 07, 2020 5:31 amThe Calabrian’s got their start in the fruit and vegetable racket. Without going into too much detail because I can’t be bothered, they have rackets that require more brains and sophistication than low-level drug dealing and trafficking; the majority of which is done by men who lack the brains to get into more complex scams/rackets.CabriniGreen wrote: ↑Mon Apr 06, 2020 7:17 amForgive me, but this entire statement strikes me as bullshit...MSFRD wrote: ↑Fri Apr 03, 2020 10:13 am From an Australian perspective, the criminal element has been ‘dumbed down’ considerably from 30-40 years ago. The underworld has changed immensely.
First, there are many who are in it who should not be there. We underestimate the influence and power of Hollywood on the minds of the young; being a ‘gangster’ and emulation of the lifestyle of Tony Montana has drawn many kids who just aren’t cut out for this lifestyle. This has exploded with social media. The ability to project an image and engage in disorganised violence draws many disaffected kids to crime.
Secondly, the newcomers to this world engage in primarily one thing: drug trafficking. It’s not very difficult to sell drugs and make exorbitant amounts of money.
The way I hear the ‘knowledgeable’ posters speak of the old neighbourhood guys sitting around trying to think of scores, and hustling to make a dollar or build a racket reminds me of the old-school Australian crims. The old-school underworld was full of crims who had to have some brains, had to use their cunning ability to make a living in the shadows.
Of course, there are and always will be the men who do not wish to play by the rules and are naturally adept at deception, with the ability to skirt the law and make a living. But they are saturated by young thugs influenced by tv, or the drug affected bottom-feeders; both of these do not have the ability to pull off intricate scams, or white-collar crimes. Yet, they are now the majority in a world they don’t belong in. Most likely these wannabe’s are the vast majority of the recruitment pool for the modern LCN.
Didnt the Australian Calabrians get their start from growing and selling marijuana?
In times gone by, there were was a larger proportion of men who went in to the underworld with more street smarts and the ability to set up long-term rackets. Most were also ‘schooled’ in the ways of the world and the code to abide by. Most knew someone or had relatives who brought them around. Drug dealing or trafficking at the lower levels now constitutes the majority of the criminal element and the crimes on its periphery. Incidentally, the number of people who before would not have been able to be accepted amongst the milieu, are now a part of and constitute the majority of criminals. It has dramatically altered the underworld fabric. Hence my comment about ‘dumbed down’.
I mean, I'm assuming you have seen this article before, it's pretty old...
Operation Pollina? The Pelle clan?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... trade.html