Great article earlier this month, wanted to share it. The ‘ndrangheta is so entrenched, it is next to impossible to stamp it out. In fact, it would seem that Calabrian bosses consider Australia as basically another state of Italy they control.
Month: January 2018
Still Going
So I’ve been crazy busy. First, I’m still working on the next addition to the Articles Series. I want to shift focus up north again, and cover the long established presence of ‘ndrangheta in the Sunshine State. Far beyond the cane-field stand-over rackets, the king crop marijuana plantations have become the main money maker for a Mareeba based locale with links back the (where else?) Griffith. I cant cover Queensland without delving into the Fitzgerald Era, and the activities of the so called “Bellino Syndicate”, gamblers and proprietors that served as a useful “bogey-man” during a time when Brisbane was a much different city.
I’m working on the first Profile article too. The First Families of the Australian ‘ndrangheta. First among equals, you know? It’s gonna be awesome.
Stay tuned!!
AFP To Designate Official Anti-Mafia Unit
ITALY: Italian Police Find Fugitive Calabrian Mafia Boss Hiding in Bunker October 05
NATIONAL
Australian Law enforcement restructure to focus on Italian mafia
EXCLUSIVE
Clans of Italian Mafia in Australia are to be targeted by Australian Federal Police with a dedicated unit and resources under a complete restructuring of law enforcement crime fighting methods created under the new Home Affairs Department reforms.
But just who will staff the new unit strategy remains unclear with the AFP confirming it still plans to shed more than 117 personnel in this financial year of which 98 are to be frontline police officers.
Another 65 redundancies are to be AFP professional staff although there is to be an increase of 44 staff to Protective Services officer ranks.
News Corp Australia has learned the move to have dedicated resources to look at Italian Mafia, and specifically the faces behind the crimes, follows a review of law enforcement tactics in Australia over the past few years and revelations in an Italian court that the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta clan had dispatched migrating members to Australia specifically to operate criminal enterprise.
‘Ndrangheta lieutenant turned informer Domenico Agresta detailed to authorities in October last year two “locales” or criminal cells made up of three or four families including members of his own, currently in Australia specifically to carry on the family business.
Police intelligence has, however, identified six locales, each with their own mob boss, in Sydney, Melbourne and South Australia with ‘Ndrangheta global annual revenues from drugs trafficking and money laundering and counterfeit goods estimated at $80 billion.
Italian Mafia initiation video released by Italian Police
These migrating Calabrians have included notorious members from the Barbaro and Sergi families, involved in gangland hits and drug production and trafficking in Melbourne, Sydney, Griffith and Brisbane dating back to the 1970s.
Such was the state of flourishing “entrenchment” and “consolidation” of Italian Mafia in Australia, Italian police say Australia was considered an offshore “state of Italy” in their intelligence tracking.
A senior AFP source said under restructuring Italian Mafia would be its own focus, the first time it has had its own dedicated resources in decades.
“We did have six or seven crime types or areas we were going after and we were very much focused on the commodity,” the senior officer said.
“We’ve stopped doing that, looking at the commodity and going after the organised crime groups. That’s where we are going now. We are going after the organised crime group, national and international and chasing them and hitting them. The Italian Mafia is one.”
Under the new focused strategy the six crime types have been narrowed to three at any one time with all resources thrown at those before another crime type is “swapped in” and rotated. Other categories to gain specific attention include child sex crimes, money laundering and Outlaw Motor Cycle Gangs.
An AFP Association spokeswoman said her members were to be briefed on the new law enforcement direction and priorities this week but the continued drive in staff reduction and budget constraints were a major concern.
Working on Updates
I’ve been workin’ my ass off over here! lulz.
Seriously though, I’m currently in the process of finishing up some charts and profiles for a new section. They include lists of figures involved during various times through history, and the first profiles: Barbaro & Sergi: First Families of Australian ‘ndrangheta.
Looking forward to the challenge. And welcome to those new to the blog.
Rogue’s Gallery
I’ve started putting up some of the myriad mug-shots, candid photos and newspaper pictures I’ve collected over some time. It is, as most things are with this blog, a work in progress. Eventually, I hope for it to become one of biggest collections available.
From little things, big things grow. To quote Kev Carmody.
Migrating ‘ndrangheta
Another of Dr Sergi’s contributions to the field. This lady is at the cutting edge of research into the Calabrian trans-national syndicates. Have I mentioned she is a personal hero of mine? Only twice today? Cool.
-Migrating ‘ndrangheta, Dr A Sergi
Bibliography!
Tops word that. So I finally composed my current source materials, an extensive list of books, articles and academic texts. I will point out though, the files available in a digitized format from the National Archives of Australia are ridiculously informative, and among my primary sources.
Mafia in Australia 