Dispelled preconceived notions on the Mafia.

[Antiliar]

I was reading this article from you:

http://informer-journal.blogspot.com.br ... ky+luciano

I'm loving it, it's very good and very informative, besides the fact that it will help me a lot at the time of reading The Last Testament.

Enjoy

[Pogo The Clown]

"Use this opportunity to give praise Italian (style)." And by that he means envelopes stuffed with 'scarole.

It's Latin not Eye-tal.

Thanks Don Ferranzano.


Pogo

[jimmyb]

As time has gone on, I've become less and less impressed with the structure, it's really nothing special and unless there's a dispute, really doesn't impact these guy's lives all that much. 90% of organized crime is organized crime. There were other groups that were 3x as structured with intricate layers - and I'm sorry but I cannot elaborate - that only wielded 1/3 of the power of the Sicilian mafia. You get 10-20 guys together you can create your own mafia family but without the culture, connections and proper criminal biosphere it'd be as successful as Detroit's Black Mafia which dried up after a federal charge and no one's continued it, which begs the question: How and why has the Italian Mafia survived when every other one of their ethnic contemporaries are gone? It doesn't have to do with the ranks and structure, at least not entirely.

While I tend to agree with the article below, which attributes much of the longevity and success of the Italian mob to its structure, I do agree there are other factors. It's criminal tradition is a big part of it, as you said. Another factor is it's diversification.

Structure Keeps Mafia Atop Crime Heap
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424 ... 2318489246

I agree "diversification" an important element. Apparently Los Zetas are getting into other rackets (human trafficking, extortion, gambling etc.). According to this article the Calabarians are coaching them to think beyond drugs.
http://www.coha.org/the-relationship-be ... ationship/

[jimmyb]

http://www.coha.org/the-relationship-be ... omparison/

[jimmyb]

http://www.coha.org/the-relationship-be ... omparison/

This is part 1, part 2 is my original post fyi

[Wiseguy]

Thanks for posting, jimmyb. I was familiar with Project Reckoning but had never seen that before.

[jimmyb]

Thanks for posting, jimmyb. I was familiar with Project Reckoning but had never seen that before.

Of course, no problem.

Not trying to turn this thread into cartel discussion, but since we're also talking about OC groups and diversification of rackets, here's a new book about Los Zetas that apparently documents their involvement in other rackets including music piracy. I haven't read the book, but seems interesting: https://www.amazon.com/Los-Zetas-Inc-Cr ... =Los+Zetas

[Wiseguy]

Thanks for posting, jimmyb. I was familiar with Project Reckoning but had never seen that before.

Of course, no problem.

Not trying to turn this thread into cartel discussion, but since we're also talking about OC groups and diversification of rackets, here's a new book about Los Zetas that apparently documents their involvement in other rackets including music piracy. I haven't read the book, but seems interesting: https://www.amazon.com/Los-Zetas-Inc-Cr ... =Los+Zetas

I remember reading something about how Chapo preferred that Sinaloa stick to drug trafficking alone, as they were already making plenty of money with narcotics and didn't want to alienate the local populace with extortions and what not.