The last time I heard about the mob in the United States was the Teflon Don trials etc. and that was on the history channel! When I think of the dangers and affects of organized crime here in the states I think of groups working for the Cartels in major cities such as Chicago, and Atlanta not the Italian mafia. I mean comparing the two the Italian mafia looks peaceful. Though I'm sure the two have connections and possibly work together in some aspects.
New York (CNN) -- In one of the largest single-day operations against the Mafia in FBI history, federal agents working with local law enforcement fanned out across Italy, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island on Thursday to arrest 127 people, officials said.
Alleged members from the five prominent New York families -- the Gambino, Colombo, Bonanno, Genovese and Lucchese families -- were arrested, receiving 16 indictments in four judicial districts, Attorney General Eric Holder said during a news conference in New York.
"Today's arrests and charges mark an important step forward in disrupting La Cosa Nostra's illegal activities," he said.
Ninety-one members and their associates, including one in Italy, were charged with federal crimes that include conspiracy, arson, extortion, narcotics trafficking, illegal gambling, labor racketeering and murders that date back as far as 1981, according to a U.S. Justice Department statement.
I see that StealthBlue is very interested and active in organized crime related topics.
It's always good news to hear about these bust, getting rid of bad guys is a good thing. But what do you think how the mafia familys will react? Obviously I don't expect a full fledged battle between the group and the federals like in Mexico, but do you think they will retaliate in anyway? Maybe violence?
I hope a lot of the targets were actually important figures and that the charges stick. Based on what i've heard about all the evidence they have they should be able to get most, if not all, of the convictions they want.
On January 21 2011 05:10 furymonkey wrote: I see that StealthBlue is very interested and active in organized crime related topics.
It's always good news to hear about these bust, getting rid of bad guys is a good thing. But what do you think how the mafia familys will react? Obviously I don't expect a full fledged battle between the group and the federals like in Mexico, but do you think they will retaliate in anyway? Maybe violence?
What would be the point of that? I don't think you know how the mafia works.. The last thing they would want to do is commit a bunch of violent acts that have absolutely no financial gain for them and do nothing but bring in more cops and more investigations. They will lay low while the heat is on and try to win in court by going after witnesses, juries, etc.
Well good riddance to urban decay but as horrible as mafia may be, they can actually provide services for people government cannot sometimes. In America, that does not seem to be as big anymore but in New York, the mafia have been known to take out the garbage and they do it efficiently.
On January 21 2011 05:27 Shiragaku wrote: Well good riddance to urban decay but as horrible as mafia may be, they can actually provide services for people government cannot sometimes. In America, that does not seem to be as big anymore but in New York, the mafia have been known to take out the garbage and they do it efficiently.
You tend to be efficient when you don't want people to notice what's in those garbage bags!
I saw this on news this morning and as a NYer, I'm impressed and pleased things like this happened, now I feel 0.00001% more safe roaming around the dark alleyways of New York City.
Props for the intelligence agencies and forces for working and getting their job done!
This story is great and all, but I really can't wait for the best part of all this: when Hollywood makes this into some totally badass movie in 20 years or so. 127 is a lot of people, either they do a series or someone gets arrested every minute.
On January 21 2011 06:04 hugitout wrote: when a number is more important than a name how important can these people possibly be
Agreed. Id like to see some big names.. I'm afraid the FBI only got the henchmen.
On January 21 2011 06:14 t3hwUn wrote: Its funny how much hate Fox News gets just for presenting things in a different light than you're accustomed too. Quite strange indeed.
On January 21 2011 04:59 {CC}StealthBlue wrote: When I think of the dangers and affects of organized crime here in the states I think of groups working for the Cartels in major cities such as Chicago, and Atlanta not the Italian mafia. I mean comparing the two the Italian mafia looks peaceful. Though I'm sure the two have connections and possibly work together in some aspects.
I doubt they got only henchmen if they've got arrests in Italy. Good day though. Not entirely sure how much good it'll do. After the mob got driven out of Philly shit went to hell in a hand basket.
On January 21 2011 06:14 t3hwUn wrote: Its funny how much hate Fox News gets just for presenting things in a different light than you're accustomed too. Quite strange indeed.
lol... its much more then just that.
No it isn't. BBC and MSN and every single major news agency in the world deliberately change and falsify their news stories. With friends and family in Honduras during their constitutional solidarity there was almost no backlash against these major news agencies for deliberate deceit. I think Fox News is complete garbage, but the reason that they get flack and the rest of the garbage news sources don't is because they are the press minority position (presenting things in a different light than you're accustomed too). The scary thing is that both "sides" are nothing more than a powerful Lobby.
On January 21 2011 06:04 hugitout wrote: when a number is more important than a name how important can these people possibly be
Agreed. Id like to see some big names.. I'm afraid the FBI only got the henchmen.
On January 21 2011 06:14 t3hwUn wrote: Its funny how much hate Fox News gets just for presenting things in a different light than you're accustomed too. Quite strange indeed.
lol... its much more then just that.
No it isn't. BBC and MSN and every single major news agency in the world deliberately change and falsify their news stories. With friends and family in Honduras during their constitutional solidarity there was almost no backlash against these major news agencies for deliberate deceit. I think Fox News is complete garbage, but the reason that they get flack and the rest of the garbage news sources don't is because they are the press minority position (presenting things in a different light than you're accustomed too). The scary thing is that both "sides" are nothing more than a powerful Lobby.
I don't trust any of those shitty news companys. Imo Al Jazeera + wikileaks > any other news agency.
Cool story. I'm curious about the FBI's investigation. Must have been massive. This remind anyone else that you need to go back and finish watching The Sopranos?
Why is this thread about Fox News now? Stay on topic please.
On January 21 2011 06:43 JWD wrote: Cool story. I'm curious about the FBI's investigation. Must have been massive. This remind anyone else that you need to go back and finish watching The Sopranos?
Haha, I started watching the show just two days ago.
What's the season that I should look forward to? At the moment I'm in the middle of Season 2 and it's good, very good, but in no way rivalring The Wire or anything.
Good work on the investigation and all. But other than the drug running, I don't see the mafia in nearly as bad a light as most would. Sure their not the most law abiding bunch. But when they do put their efforts into something, they do it well, and run it like a business.
I wouldn't say their your average, walk around the streets with guns ready to shoot the place up kinda bunch. Subtly is big part of it. Not to mention, from what i can tell, they seem to like keeping the real "trigger happy" types out of the way as to not get in the way of their business. This can only be a good thing.
Think about it, if you have a choice of 2 crooks, would you prefer the ones who won't kill you unless you cross them? Or the one who will just kill you if their in a bad mood?
Even on the drug front, the quality would be a lot better and safer than those made by an average joe with a drug lab in his basement. You want repeat customers in a business right? Customers can't repeat if their dead. XD
Ohh yeah, and any Mafia action due to these arrests will more than likely be extremely subtle and effect very few regular civilians. Their not going to take a bazooka to a cop shop lol.
I'm currently watching the Sopranos (almost done season 5), and I wonder how similar, if at all, the depiction is to the real mafia. It's probably completely unrealistic like most shows, but that's fine because the show is really a work of art.
Good work on the investigation and all. But other than the drug running, I don't see the mafia in nearly as bad a light as most would. Sure their not the most law abiding bunch. But when they do put their efforts into something, they do it well, and run it like a business.
I wouldn't say their your average, walk around the streets with guns ready to shoot the place up kinda bunch. Subtly is big part of it. Not to mention, from what i can tell, they seem to like keeping the real "trigger happy" types out of the way as to not get in the way of their business. This can only be a good thing. Think about it, if you have a choice of 2 crooks, would you prefer the ones who won't kill you unless you cross them? Or the one who will just kill you if their in a bad mood?
Even on the drug front, the quality would be a lot better and safer than those made by an average joe with a drug lab in his basement. You want repeat customers in a business right? Customers can't repeat if their dead. XD
Ohh yeah, and any Mafia action due to these arrests will more than likely be extremely subtle and effect very few regular civilians. Their not going to take a bazooka to a cop shop lol.
There's still plenty of random violence that the mob commits.
He described two murder victims who were allegedly killed in a public bar over a dispute concerning a spilled drink.
The bottom line is, the mob isn't this bunch of ultra-professional businessmen who do the odd shady thing. They're a bunch of ruthless killers and criminals. However much shows like The Sopranos and Hollywood movies tend to inadvertently glorify them, or induce sympathy by showing the human angle of their characters, they're still a group of very nasty and violent people. Yes they're more 'professional' and organised than the average killer, but the downside is that makes them harder to stop. In total, the human misery they create far exceeds that caused by the random killer.
EPT
