And what is the greatest number? Number one.
David Hume
‘Ndrangheta
Italy’s Sicilian mafia has dominated the country’s underworld for decades. The ‘ndrangheta, which operates from Calabria’s southern region, managed to overshadow its notorious counterpart. Unlike the Sicilian mafia, blood relations are the glue that binds the organization together. Of greater significance, those ties significantly reduce betrayals and informants making the ‘ndrangheta impenetrable. As with the Sicilian cosca (clan or family), a ‘ndrine symbolizes a ‘ndrangheta clan. These clans operate independently, despite functioning under the ” ‘ndrangheta banner “. Each clan is responsible for restoring family honor, even if it means killing a son, daughter, or any other member of the family.
Invisible
Although arrests can occasionally cause immense damage to Sicilian mafia families, the true leadership of the ‘ndrangheta remains unbreakable. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that the organization operates on several levels, with lower levels functioning in ignorance of those above it. For example, La Santa, considered to be a secret society within a secret society. Some believe the masonic lodges and freemasons are who represent the highest ‘ndrangheta levels.
Since the San Luca feud, which ended in 2007, with the massacre of six people in Duisburg, Germany, the ‘ndrangheta formed a board of directors, similar to a commission, to settle disputes. Again, a ruling which comes from the upper levels.
Being that unwanted attention is bad for business, the organization restructured itself to be more invisible. Clarifying the ‘ndrangheta’s analogy to a chameleon’s constantly shifting modes of behavior. As for the violence, they try to keep it to a minimum.
Business
The maxi-trial for the Sicilian mafia ended in 1992 with 338 convictions, including high-ranking members like Luciano Leggio, Pippo Calò, and Michele Greco. Bernardo Provenzano and Salvatore “Toto” Riina were convicted in absentia. A crucial blow to the Sicilian mafia turned out to be a window of opportunity for the ‘ndrangheta.
In a nutshell, the organization replaced the Sicilians as leaders in the drug trade, gaining power and wealth in the process. Unlike their predecessors, the ‘ndrangheta clans partnered with Latin America’s most experienced cocaine traffickers. Collaborating with drug lords from countries such as Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, and Ecuador.
As reported, the organization’s estimated yearly revenue is upward of 60 billion euros. More significantly, is how they reinvested the drug proceeds into legitimate income. For instance, in every city in Calabria, the clans control waste disposal, construction, renewable energy, tourism, agriculture, restaurants, etc. They even seek out businesses in financial trouble, lend them money, and eventually take over the business. However, the ‘ndrangheta’s biggest accomplishment to date is the infiltration of Italy’s political system. Following the “ndrangheta maxi-trial” in November 2023, over 200 individuals—including politicians, businessmen, and even law enforcement officers—were found guilty. Further proving the organization’s capacity for corruption is its greatest strength.
A biannual report composed by Italy’s Anti-mafia Investigative Directorate (DIA) referred to the ‘ndrangheta as:
“The absolute dominant force in the criminal world.”
Conclusion
Much can be said about the ‘ndrangheta, but one thing in particular stands out to me. In recent years, Italy’s anti-mafia prosecutors have been successful in apprehending a number of the organization’s top people, bosses in their own right. Since the organization operates globally, most of the captures came with the assistance of I-CAN ( Interpol Cooperation Against ‘Ndrangheta ). Nonetheless, despite the successes of law enforcement, those pulling the ‘ndrangheta strings, the nameless from above, remain unscathed and continue to rule the number one mafia.