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Serbian organized crime emerged during the 1970s as increasing numbers of Yugoslav expatriates emigrated to Western Europe. Serbian gangsters in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and France carried out robberies and heists with the support of the Yugoslavian security services, which employed expatriate criminals as informants and assassins and, in exchange, provided them with weapons and legal protection. Such government support, along with the wealth Serbian gangs accumulated through a pattern of robberies, allowed the Serbian mafia to become one of the most powerful crime groups in Europe by the 1980s. One of the most significant mafia groups in Scandinavia is the Serbian-Montenegrin mafia in Scandinavia, also known as Juggemaffian ("Yugo Mafia"). The foundations of the gang began during the mass immigration of Yugoslav guest-workers to Sweden in the 1970s. Its power base is in the cities of Stockholm and Copenhagen, with territory in Malmö and Gothenburg, among other cities in western Sweden. The "Yugo Mafia" received significant media attention in Sweden, especially during the 1990s, thanks to flashy top-ranking members such as Dragan "Mica" Jovanovic. The founder and first leader of the group is believed to be Dejan's older brother, Vladislav "Kosa" Kosanovic. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia, many Serbian gangsters throughout Europe returned to Serbia to exploit new criminal opportunities and serve in paramilitary units during the Bosnian War. The Serbian mafia gave many Serbs a perceived way out of the economic disaster that occurred in the country following the implementation of internationally imposed sanctions against Serbia during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s. Serbian criminals have also been recruited into state security forces, a notable example being Jakov "Jale" Pantic, a commander in the Serbian Army, which was re-labeled as the JSO (Red Berets) after the war. During the period when the cigarette mafia operated, the Serbian mafia earned about 100 billion dollars. Today, the Serbian mafia is composed of several major international criminal organizations specializing in the cocaine trade, which in turn have wider networks throughout Europe and across the world. These include some highly successful groups, including one of the largest cocaine import enterprises in Europe, "Group America", and the "Pink Panthers", responsible for some of the biggest heists ever committed. The Serbian mafia has established a direct connection with the majority of cocaine producers, purchasing drugs directly from South American producers and selling them only to wholesalers operating in Europe. According to estimates by Europol and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Serbian cartel "Group America", also known as "el Cartel de las Balcanes" ("the cartel of the Balkans"), imports about 500 tons of cocaine annually to Europe. The boss of the group, Goran Markovic, was wanted by more than 30 countries. In June 2013, Forbes magazine published a list of the wealthiest mafia bosses in the world, with Serbian drug lord Aleksandar Ristic in fifth place with an estimated 27 billion dollars worth of assets. Hristijan Pantovic with Senad Radmanovic, Dejan "Deki" Kosanovic and Sasa "Sale" Kosanovic Zivko "Ziva" Petrovic Beogradska Grupa was formed in the early 1990s by a group of Serbian immigrants who fled the Yugoslav Wars and settled in the San Andreas. They had fled their homeland after the war, seeking refuge in the city and a chance to start anew. However, they soon realized that the streets of Los Santos were just as unforgiving as those they had left behind. Initially, the organization focused on petty crimes such as theft and extortion, but as they grew in power and notoriety, they expanded their operations to include drug trafficking, arms dealing, racketeering, protection racketeering, and other forms of organized crime. Dejan "Deki" Kosanovic Among this group was a young man named Dejan "Deki" Kosanovic. Deki had grown up in Belgrade, learning the ways of the streets from his older brother, a notorious mobster who had been involved in various criminal activities. Deki had always admired his brother's strength and cunning, and he saw an opportunity to build a new life for himself in Los Santos. The organization is led by a charismatic and ruthless leader named Dejan Kosanovic, a former soldier in the Yugoslav People's Army who became disillusioned with the war and turned to a life of crime. Dejan "Deki" Kosanovic is known for his cunning and strategic mind, always staying one step ahead of the law and his enemies. He's brought in a ton of money for himself and the crew during his active years, he's been working tight with the past generations, with names like Branko Lazarevic, Bojan Lazarevic, Novak Blagojevic, Mirza Crncevic, and Miodrag Krcmarik. Dejan "Deki" Kosanovic has been identified as the leader of one of the biggest Serbian crew and as a key role in the rise of it. After an extended period in Los Santos, he had no choice but to escape the city. However, after a decade in hiding, he made the bold decision to return to the tumultuous streets of Los Santos. After returning to Los Santos, he met a new Serbian group, a next-generation who shared his desire to make a name for themselves. There were names Grigorije Vukasinovic a notorious drug dealer, Milic "Mili" Vlahovic, a skilled mechanic with a talent for tinkering with cars, Velimir "Veli" Stevanovic, a charismatic talker with a silver tongue and Sasa "Sale" Kosanovic, a younger brother of Dejan "Deki" Kosanovic, a rugged enforcer with a reputation for being ruthless. The Serbian Mafia's 'house of horror' INVESTIGATION - A group associated with Dejan Kosanovic in Serbia. The discovery of a 'house of horror' in Belgrade, where Serbian mobsters tortured their rivals, shows that criminal organizations are ready to gain control of drug trafficking in the Balkans. The wide smiles that light up their faces suggest the satisfaction of a job well done. On January 3, 2012, in a small house in the city of Belgrade, two muscular and tattooed thirty-somethings pose in front of their latest trophy: a naked man, with his feet and fists bound. One of his torturers, wearing black gloves, raises the man's head towards the photographer's lens. The martyr's face is swollen, and his eyes are closed; he is probably already dead. The Cocaine war in the Balkans has just claimed its umpteenth victim. In another picture, taken a few minutes later, the victim's foot is shown next to his head. The body had been cut up in a nearby room, covered in tarps. Behind the body, a professional meat grinder stands ready to process the pieces. They will then be put into bags and thrown into the nearby Danube River. The photos taken in this building, now called "the house of horror" by the local press, should never have landed on the desk of a Serbian judge. But one of the two smiling thirty-somethings, Ilija Stevic, alias "Ika Ljudozder" ("Ika Cannibal"), and his team of henchmen had made the mistake of sharing them on the app Sky ECC, thinking its encryption would be unbreakable. They didn't realize that Europol, Belgian, Dutch, and French police would be able to penetrate the secrets shared on this messaging platform. Pink Panthers The Pink Panthers - a Serbian jewel thief network - have pulled off some of the most daring heists in the annals of organised crime, leaving authorities astounded. This notorious group is primarily comprised of Serbian citizens. The Pink Panthers are responsible for what has been termed some of the most "glamorous" heists in history, with one criminologist even describing their crimes as "artistry". They have operated in numerous countries and on several continents and include Japan's most successful robbery among their thefts. Wafi Mall known as Dubai Mall - 14.7 Million heist: "Pink Panthers" in Dubai in 170 seconds Wafi shopping mall in Dubai captured, in 2007, two Audi S8s smashing through its glass doors. The first – white with silver wheels – crashes through in reverse, while the second – a black car with a woman at the wheel – drives head-on. The white car pauses briefly as a man in a black bodysuit, and balaclava jumps out before the driver hits the gas again. You have to imagine the screeching of tyres as they speed on through the public atrium and reverse the car into the door of the Graff jewellery store. The man in black runs into the shop and another joins him; both are carrying revolvers in one hand and tiny pickaxes in the other, and have pouches attached to their bodies. The store attendants run for their lives, and the men calmly and systematically start to break through display cases. At each one, they seem to smash the glass and grab the jewels in one smooth move. You assume they have done this before. In the robberies that the Pink Panthers did, there were no victims. Beogradska Grupa operates primarily in the city of Los Santos, they are based in Marina where they have established a strong presence through bribery and intimidation. They control and protect several key locations, including nightclubs and bars, which they use as fronts for their illegal activities. Their main source of income is arms trafficking, robberies, protection racketeering, legal companies, and drug trafficking, specifically cocaine and heroin, which they import from Peru and South America. Beogradska Grupa has a diverse membership, with members from various ethnic backgrounds. Beogradska Grupa's ultimate goal is to become the dominant organization in Los Santos, controlling all legal and illegal activities and profits. They will stop at nothing to achieve this goal. OOC Information - Please avoid derailing the thread this thread is for development and screenshot purposes only. We are looking for players who want to develop well-rounded and realistic characters. If you are interested in climbing the ranks quickly you should definitely look at another faction to join. Character development is key within this faction and our main focus will be on creating unique and realistic characters, please note: The majority of the faction are 2nd to 3rd generation Serbian Serbian/Americans, we do not forbid fresh of the plane characters but it would be better to ask one of the leaders for more information on creating a character for the faction. All members must enter and progress in the group through IC methods, we are happy to assist every new and veteran member in joining the faction by assisting with a name and a story-line in order to join this faction. This faction has been in development since the beginning of May 2024. Only members of the faction/discord with specific permissions are allowed to post screenshots on the thread. Faction Discord: https://discord.gg/qd8WM69d9t - By joining this faction you agree to a character kill if the leadership of the faction have a legitimate reason to kill you. - Complaints/suggestions or questions can be sent to @XSystem @click

|| 90's - 2000's in Rīga, Latvija. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the iron curtain was melted down and sold in many ways modern people could not imagine. People were stealing left and right whatever was left behind in production facilities, free-market was born and so was racketeering. Racketeering was so widespread in the streets of Rīga, that it was impossible to operate a business without a roof. Gang shootouts in the center of the city happened time by time, crazy times. It was a battleground for Russian, Chechen, Armenian and Latvian criminals altogether. Cigarette trade from Belarus peeked, as it was very valuable. Old leftovers from the soviet army were dealt even more. It was possible to buy an AK for a bottle of vodka. Many boxers were dragged into this world, as they had power in knuckles and could be worthy racketeers. || The streets of Los Santos have always been a battleground for power, but one organization has remained quietly influential—an underground network built by the Baltic Mafia. This is not just a story about violence or crime, but one of brotherhood, loyalty, and calculated moves that have kept the Baltic presence alive, even when faced with the most extreme opposition. Leading this resurgence is Renars Laubergs, a name once feared, now reborn. In the early 2019, Renars Laubergs, alongside Intars Lidaka, Janis Piebalgs, and Maris Finieris, made East Beach the epicenter of the Baltic Mafia’s activities. They weren’t just criminals—they were tacticians. Specializing in drug trafficking, loansharking and extortion. Renars and his crew operated smoothly under the radar of the authorities. Renars was known for his sharp mind, ability to stay calm under pressure, and his crew's deep loyalty to him. But everything changed when Maris made a move that would shake their foundation. Attempting to kill a detective who had been investigating the Baltic Mafia for years, Maris triggered an all-out war with the police. It wasn’t long before the streets of Los Santos were crawling with undercover agents and tactical units hunting them down. Knowing the heat was too intense to continue business as usual, Renars made the tough decision to lay low. He took a portion of his loyal crew and returned to the motherland. There, they regrouped, reconnected with old contacts, and bided their time. After years of staying off the radar, Renars Laubergs returned to Los Santos. The streets may have calmed down, but the ambition remained. The downfall of Maris and others left a vacuum in the city's underworld—one that Renars intends to fill. With years of experience, a tighter crew, and new connections from overseas, Renars is ready to rebuild the Baltic Empire, one step at a time. He returned not as a man looking for revenge, but with a clear vision: to rebuild the Baltic presence in Los Santos from the ground up, ensuring that this time, nothing would stand in his way—not the cops, not the competition, and certainly not the past. || ((OOC INFORMATION)) ((This faction is based on realistic criminal roleplay, focused on organized crime and smuggling. Our aim is to create immersive stories that reflect the complexity of leading an underground organization. We welcome European and Baltic characters with well-thought-out backgrounds and a commitment to quality roleplay.)) JOIN OUR DISCORD:

This thread follows the development of Frank Moffa

San Fierro Wiseguy Aquitted on All Charges After Spending the Past Year Intangled in a Court Case Reputed Mobster James Delutro will be Back on the Streets Feb 14th, 2021 SAN FIERRO - One gangster got his Valentine's day gift early, James Delutro a reputed member of the nearly defunct San Fierro Crime Family was acquitted in the San Fierro superior court today. Delutro 46, has been in and out of prison lately, spending eight of the last fifteen years behind bars relating to charges stemming from two separate drug arrests. Delutro is a longtime member of the Fierro mob and a close associate of the lasting acting boss of the family: Anthony Gatti. His latest stint cost him four years inside of State prison. The family Delutro will be returning to is a far cry from the one he left in 2019 however, the San Fierro Crime Family has been on a steady decline since the mid-2000s. The family is now largely considered largely defunct, last year one FBI agent described the current state of the once dominant Durante mob as "a gambling club for senior citizens now." Rumors have long stated that the family has no more than a handful of active members at this point. The history of the San Fierro Crime Family dates back to the late 90s, when Valenti Captain Patrick Durante broke off from the family staking his own claim to Fierro. Also known as the Durante Family, the group was always small compared to the two major LS families. They gained a reputation quickly, however, for reliable drug trafficking due to the family's connections at the San Fierro port. This control of the ports has allowed the Fierro family to remain relevant despite its size. Since the disappearance of Patrick Durante, the Fierro Mob has had the tendency to overstep its boundaries and try to expand its criminal schemes into Los Santos. James Delutro was once a part of one of those early satellite crews which attempted to plant the Fierro flag in Los Santos. Delutro found himself involved in a drug operation alongside Ray Ferrante and Patrick Durante Jr., the son of the former boss, the bust up of the operation resulted in his incarceration. During this time the Fierro crew ran into turbulence with the Bellantonio Crime Family this led to the deaths of the acting Fierro boss Anthony Gatti, along with two soldiers: Albert Alfani, and Phil Cefalu within a two-year span. Currently, the family is believed to be led by Richard Novarese a Valenti soldier with close ties to Patrick Durante, Novarese has kept a low profile since the death of his predecessor. However, it's widely believed that Novarese is no more than a figurehead at this point and stays off the street away from what criminal activity remains. Alleged Underboss Frank Baldi is assumed to be the one running what few rackets are still going on. Baldi in his late 60s, was a long-time friend of Anthony Gatti and is frequently spotted running down to Los Santos to meet with other rumored gangsters. Anthony 'Lines' Ulino, a Venturas gangster who was also incarcerated with Delutro in the past, is known to often accompany Baldi on these trips. A major question for James Delutro if he wants to return to the Fierro organized crime scene will be if there's anything left for him. Los Santos is now firmly under the control of the resurgent Valenti Crime Family along with the remnants of the Bellantonio Family, setting up a crew once again in LS would likely lead to conflict. This means that Delutro will have to find where he fits amongst the hierarchy within the largely defunct San Fierro mob, this could lead to future conflicts on the horizon. SAN FIERRO CRIMINAL UNDERGROUND IN TURMOIL April 2, 2020 Twenty twenty, a new decade in a city. San Fierro has always been on the forefront of weapons smuggling, and narcotics trafficking along with many other illegal activities in the state of San Andreas. The city has widely been known for its large LGBT and Asian populations, but of the city’s more local problems, the Chinese community specifically has drawn a lot of interest in recent weeks. A prominent Chinese-American port official was found in the trunk of a car last month after that vehicle was shot up in Los Santos according to authorities. The reason for this individual, currently unnamed as police search for next of kin, to be involved in business with Asian organized crime is unclear but his death was followed by an explosion at his Los Santos property several days later. It remains to be seen whether the violence from Los Santos underworld scene is spilling back over into its neighbors; however, this does show that new organized crime groups are taking over where others had once laid claim. The power vacuum that was left by the once prominent San Fierro mob has grown as the family has become nearly defunct in recent years due to tumultuous chaos within its upper hierarchy. After the death of Patrick Durante in 2014, followed by the deaths of SF enforcer Phil Cefalu, and Durante’s then replacement Anthony Gatti in the following years, there has been some speculation about whether anyone has actually taken up the reins of the defunct San Fierro crime family since Gatti’s 2016 demise. The two most prominent factions in contention for control of what remnants are left of San Fierro mob, appear to be: Richard Novarese a Valenti soldier with close ties to Patrick Durante who never strayed back into Los Santos after Durante’s 2014 death; unlike some of his more greedy counterparts, Novarese has avoided the spotlight in recent years and he may be the acting boss of the SF family according to some sources. Novarese and his button man and enforcer James 'Jimmy' Delutro have avoided the media spotlight so far, but will they be coaxed back into the San Fierro mob scene due to these recent turn in developments? The other main faction vying for control of what’s left of the San Fierro Organized Crime Group is one of the former acting boss Tony Gatti’s closest associates, an old-time button; The nearly seventy-year-old bayside hitman Frank Baldi. He has been seen in the Chinatown district of downtown Los Santos within the last few months however, what his intentions hold remains to be seen. What is certain is that Frank Baldi and another Fierro button John Magro have made multiple trips out to the Las Venturas strip to visit the son of deceased San Fierro enforcer Phil Cefalu, Charles 'Chuckie' Cefalu. Now, what was Charles doing in Las Venturas? Another Durante original has popped back on the San Andreas organized crime radar; James Bruno, a Michael Sarino loyalist, who was apparently running the Visage Resort Hotel & Casino with other notable felons like Charles Cefalu, Samuel Nola, and Anthony 'Lines' Ulino listed as his employees. How was a convicted felon with illicit gambling ties was able to gain control of the most profitable casino and resort hotel on the strip? Apparently through his political connections in city hall gained from years of running operations for once-prominent Los Santos organized crime figures like Patrick Durante and Michael Sarino. The waning influence of the once-dominant organized crime group in San Fierro has not gone unnoticed by the multitude of other criminal organizations planning on staking their claim on the bayside city, as the recent outbreak of violence in the Asian-American community in San Fierro reveals. SAN FIERRO BRINGING OUT THE MATTRESSES January 30, 2015 The recent discovery of a body has attracted dozens of mob journalists. The corpse belonging to the San Fierro crime group member, Albert Alfani, was found in an alley near the Avispa Country Club. Alfani was shot three times. Instead of a mugging gone wrong, the incident may have been a mob hit with the purpose of sending a message to Alfani’s associates throughout San Fierro. Alfani was a notable affiliate of Anthony Gatti, the successor of Patrick Durante. Gatti became the reputed acting captain of Durante’s Fierro crew between the years 2012-2014. Durante’s death last year solidified Gatti’s position as boss of Fog City. Local law enforcement claims that organized crime in S.F. has taken a turn since the beginning of Gatti’s reign. Investigators have confirmed that there is a list of potential suspects. Other than local trigger-men, the list surprisingly includes the names of a few known L.S. mob figures. In a short press release, the Department of Justice’s Office of Public Affairs exposed the existence of a possible rivalry between Cosa Nostra organizations in Los Santos and San Fierro. The Criminal Division distinctly mentioned Gatti and a number of his underlings, as well as Michael Sarino. The involvement of the two calculating criminals has not been explained in the press release, but further investigation by the DoJ has revealed the rest of the plot. Philip Cefalu is amongst those in the list of suspects. The forty-year-old already had an extensive rap sheet by twenty-five. In 2012 he was inducted into the San Fierro crew. Surveillance has shown that Gatti and Sarino have been meeting regularly, about a month after Sarino’s release in November of last year. Within roughly two weeks of their first sit-down, Gatti’s crew headed by Cefalu made a move to Los Santos to join forces with Sarino. To help clarify the situation, Detective Joe Dino agreed to meet with our team for an interview. “Gatti and Sarino had some sort of an agreement in which everyone somehow made a financial gain.” Dino then explained the confidentiality of the case, but when asked about Cefalu, he continued. “Phil made the move under Gatti’s order, but this must have been a temporary deal. Gatti would never leave his city or let his guys work for someone like Sarino. It never really made sense to anybody how Gatti and Sarino were even able to sit together in the same room. It’s no secret that Sarino played his part in bringing down Durante, who Gatti and the rest of the Fog City crew were most loyal to. This shows how loyalty gets trumped by riches, and that’s the reality of their world. But suppressed issues like these have been known to spark bloody mob wars almost overnight.” Dino then concluded, “for the Fierro gang, deep pockets talk. Cefalu let his hunger for wealth steer him.” Cefalu and Sarino were spotted arriving and leaving San Fierro the same night that Alfani’s body was found. Let your imagination run wild—a deceiving hoodlum and a money-cherishing hot-head come together. Cefalu would be making more money than he ever did if he was allowed to stay in Los Santos, and Sarino wouldn’t mind crossing another boss, allowing Cefalu to make his stay permanent. Knowing which strings to pull, it is fair to assume that Sarino saw to it that Cefalu became a part of his organization. It is likely that Alfani’s death was collateral damage in Sarino’s recently developed scheme. Mike “The Snake” has writers beginning to wonder how much backstabbing the mafia will tolerate. OOC INFORMATION: Any questions or concerns can be sent to either: Stephen_Molfetta or Anthony Ulino's private messages. Please get permission from leadership before posting screenshots on the thread. To obtain screenshot permission you must agree to CK rights at the discretion of leadership. Credit to Richard_Pepitone for designing the article headers

Actually, when we talk about the Italian Organized Crime ( Mafia-Like Organizations ), we rarely distinguish between the various types of criminal organizations that populate Italy and that often migrate to other continents safeguarding traditions of the criminal organization they were part of. 

The main differences are found in:
 Jobs they handle The way they threat petty crime The way they act Where they come from In 2021 have been officially recognized some mafia-like organizations operating both in Southern and Northern Italy with countless imports of drugs and weapons from different continents. What are these recognized criminal organizations? Cosa Nostra ( or Sicilian Mafia ) - Sicily 'Ndrangheta - Calabria Camorra - Campania Sacra Corona Unita - Puglia And other small groups affiliated with these criminal organizations COSA NOSTRA The criminal organization that started the phenomenon commonly referred to as the "mafia" General Info: With the passing years the structure and the organization have been lost, in fact the old marked hierarchy ( Consigliere, Capodecina, Soldier etc.. ) has practically disappeared. The structure of this criminal organization is now homologated to the structure of the other organizations since the criminal organization way of acting has changed radically compared to the last century. Jobs they Handle: drugs trafficking, guns trade, money laundering, protection service, manipulation of the legal system. Petty Crime: Cosa Nostra ( or Sicilian Mafia ) doesn't care about petty crime and the reason is simple. Actually one of their income just comes from protection service that is related to petty crime. Violence: MEDIUM - If the situation is resolvable in a contained or violent way, they will choose the contained way unless they want to teach a lesson. Where they come from: Sicily, Italy. 'NDRANGHETA The most violent mafia-like organization born in Italy General Info: The mafia-like criminal organization commonly called "'Ndrangheta" is not only a simple mafia-like criminal organization. It is the most violent mafia-like organization. It has a precise structure followed and idolized so much that it has never been changed since its inception. Structure: Everything comes to life through families called "ndrine". A set of ndrine is called "local". A local has its boss who has the right to decide if a person has to live or to die, an accountant, and a "crime" that deals with relations with other criminal organizations. The important thing is that there isn't just a "local" but there are several locals scattered all around the place they want to control. Jobs they Handle: drugs trafficking, guns trade, money laundering, protection service, manipulation of the legal system, countless investments on the stock exchange for foreign shares, scams Petty Crime: They do not admit it, therefore they usually repress the perpetrators of petty crime. Violence: HIGH Where they come from: Calabria, Italy CAMORRA One of the most ancient mafia-like criminal organizations in Italy General Info: What does "Camorra" mean? "Camorra [...], in the general meaning of the word, designates much more than the association [...] The word applies to all abuses of force or influence" ( Marc Monnier ). It is one of the most ancient mafia-like criminal organizations in Italy and the second one in terms of violence. Structure: This organization is divided into individual groups called "clans". Each clan differ from each other by type of influence on the territory, organizational structure, economic strength and their way to act. Each clan has a "boss" and each boss can manage up to hundreds of affiliates, depending on the power and structure of each clan. Jobs they Handle: The main activities of the Camorra are drug trafficking, racketeering, counterfeiting and money laundering. Furthermore, it is not unusual for the Camorra clans to infiltrate the politics of their respective areas. Petty Crime: They favor petty crime. Violence: HIGH Where they come from: Campania, Italy While in the past criminal organizations were very well defined, today criminal organizations operate in a totally different way. Today we can even talk about "Criminal Enterprise". The FBI defines a criminal enterprise as a group of individuals with an identified hierarchy, or comparable structure, engaged in significant criminal activity. These organizations often engage in multiple criminal activities and have extensive supporting networks. Various federal criminal statutes specifically define the elements of an enterprise that need to be proven in order to convict individuals or groups of individuals under those statutes. In the States, the RICO statute defines an organization as "any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity, and any union or group of individuals associated in fact although not a legal entity." and defines a criminal enterprise as "any group of six or more people, where one of the six occupies a position of organizer, a supervisory position, or any other position of management with respect to the other five, and which generates substantial income or resources, and is engaged in a continuing series of violations". Those associations of individuals operate transnationally for the purpose of obtaining monetary and commercial gains, power, influence, totally or in part by illegal means, while protecting their activities through a pattern of corruption and violence, or while protecting their illegal activities through a transnational organizational structure and the exploitation of transnational commerce or communication mechanisms. Talking about Italian Organized Crime, in the United States the FBI estimates several Mafia groups operating in the United States. More than 3000 members and associates scattered mostly throughout major cities in the Northeast, Midwest, California, and the South. What about their largest presence? The largest Italian Organized Crime presence is estimated around New York, Philadelphia and New Jersey. The major threats posed by these groups are drug trafficking ( heroin and cocaine in particular ) and money laundering. They're often involved in political corruption, illegal gambling, kidnapping, extortion, fraud, counterfeiting, murders, bombings, infiltration of legitimate business and weapons trafficking. Main activities: Drug Trafficking Interstate transportation of stolen property Murder for hire Bribery Sports bribery Fraud Money laundering Obstruction of justice Prostitution Counterfeit goods trafficking Interstate shipment thefts Gambling Extortion What about tattoos? Italian Organized Crime do not use specific tattoos to designate membership with the group, but some factions of the mafia occasionally get tattoos. For example, one common tattoo among the Stidda group is the five green marks in a circle that form a small starr: As you can see it is a small tattoo since secrecy is among the highest values.