As the birthplace of the original mafia, Italy is home to some of the world's most powerful organized crime groups, operating domestically and abroad.
The term applies to the traditional criminal organization in Sicily and also to a criminal organization in the United States. Most scholars agree that the Mafia emerged in Sicily in the 19th century during Italy's unification, but others suggest the organization arose during the late Middle Ages.
The United States Intelligence Community generally considers the Sinaloa Cartel to be the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world, making it perhaps even more influential and capable than Pablo Escobar's infamous Medellín Cartel of Colombia was during its prime.
Afghanistan is the most dangerous country in the world due to ongoing conflict and instability. The war in the country continues for more than 20 years, as a result, Afghanistan has the lowest human development index in the world. The country's population is vulnerable, because Afghanistan has a high level of violence.
Los Zetas (pronounced [los ˈsetas], Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, formerly as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscriminate murder.
We have about 51 Italian organised crime clans in Australia. We have identified 14 confirmed 'ndrangheta clans across Australia, involving thousands of members. The 'ndrangheta, widely considered Italy's wealthiest and most powerful mafia group, are connected with Calabria, a region in southern Italy.
Nowadays, the Sicilian Mafia specifically refers to the syndicate that is still operating in Sicily, composed of about one hundred families. They're particularly active in the city Palermo.
Does the Mafia still exist today? While traditional Mafia presence and activities have waned since the late 90s, they still exist today, though they generally keep a low profile. However, in some industries, such as gambling, drugs, restaurants and bars, they still have a significant influence.
The Albanian mafia in the United States has been thought to greatly increase their dominant power and is one of the most violent criminal organisations in operation, particularly with their strong connections in the European Union.
History has shown that there are generally two outcomes for a life in the Mafia: prison or death. Several famous Mob figures have faced criminal charges over the years: Chicago's Al Capone was investigated for many crimes and was finally indicted on tax evasion.
The Sicilian Mafia was founded in Sicily by elements of the Camorra, a crime organization established in Naples, in the early 1800's. It became established in the United States through the immigration of some of its members in the latter 1800's, the early 1900's, and the mid-1960's and early 1970's.
The Mafia solicits specific people for membership—one cannot just choose to join up.
As the original group named "Mafia", the Sicilian Mafia is the basis for the current colloquial usage of the term to refer to organized crime groups. It along with the Neapolitan Camorra and the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta are active throughout Italy, having presence also in other countries.
Headquartered in New York, the American Mafia got its start in the '20s and hit its peak during the '40s and '50s, eventually reaching a downfall in the '80s. Throughout that time, the mobsters ran a brutal, bloody, and illegal operation, mostly under the radar.
It also estimated that the Genovese family consists of about 270 "made" members. The family maintains power and influence in New York, New Jersey, Atlantic City and Florida. It is recognized as the most powerful Mafia family in the U.S., a distinction brought about by their continued devotion to secrecy.
The term was coined by the press and is informal; the criminal organizations themselves have their own names (e.g. the Sicilian Mafia and the related Italian-American Mafia refer to their organizations as "Cosa Nostra"; the "Japanese Mafia" calls itself "Ninkyō dantai" but is more commonly known as "Yakuza" by the ...
Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán
Guzman is the most notorious drug lord of all time, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In the 1980s, he was a member of the Guadalajara Cartel and used to work for Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo.
Pablo Escobar, in full Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria, (born December 1, 1949, Rionegro, Colombia—died December 2, 1993, Medellín), Colombian criminal who, as head of the Medellín cartel, was arguably the world's most powerful drug trafficker in the 1980s and early '90s.
Recent News. Sinaloa cartel, international crime organization that is among the most-powerful drug-trafficking syndicates in the world. It is based in Culiacán, Sinaloa state, Mexico. Its origins can be traced to the Guadalajara cartel, which was one of Mexico's largest crime organizations in the early 1980s.
There are five main New York City Mafia families, known as the Five Families: the Gambino, Lucchese, Genovese, Bonanno, and Colombo families. The Italian American Mafia has long dominated organized crime in the United States.
John "Sonny" Franzese Sr. (Italian: [ˈfrantseːze; -eːse]; February 6, 1917 – February 24, 2020) was an American mobster who was a longtime member and former underboss of the Colombo crime family.
Money laundering and large-scale drug trafficking are the criminal focus of these groups. However, they are also involved in corruption, currency and goods counterfeiting, and the trafficking of toxic waste.