How close are the Cartels with the Mafia?

I know that the Ndrangheta are especially close to them, but what about the other three italian mafia groups? When i say cartels i mean both mexican and colombian. Also do clans in canada and austrailia have direct contact with them. Also what about the American families? Do They deal with the cartels from time to time?


Also whats the key differences between the cartels and mafias? It seems that the mobs are more secretive and control the state whilst the cartels are violent as hell and are more of an anti state, is that right ?

The Rizzutos reportedly have had direct contacts with the South Americans since the 1970s. In the 1970s-1980s, New York families seemed to deal through Cuban or Colombian middle-men operating in Florida more than the cartels themselves, though in that period they certainly had links. Can't say much over what's going on today other than the Mexican Cartels can rely on American street gangs to move product and don't have much use for the American mafia.

When talking about American families, it would be true to say they are less confrontational with the police and operate "under the radar" with cooperation with corrupt officials.

Sicilians have proven that they will go up against the state with violence if they are forced too, though they prefer to work with corrupt officials and be a "state within a state".

The cartels will do anything they have to get want they want, if corruption doesn't work (and it often does), they will chop your head off or blow you up in the street if they feel it will get what they want and they can get away with it. It doesn't matter if you're the president of a country or a street thug. It doesn't have to do with being "anti-state" or "controlling the state"; it's just different means to the same end: criminals getting what what they want. Something that doesn't work for one organization might work for another somewhere else.

For example, the cartels will move against latin amercian politicians and judges because they can get away with it. If they killed an American or Canadian politician or judge the heat they'd get would get would outweigh the benefits, that's why they hold back on the violence north of the Rio Grande.

The mob doesnt cut peoples heads off then post the videos on the internet. You cannot really compare the mexican cartels to the american mob at all. but i think the cartels are very similiar to the sicilian mob of the 1980s and 1990s when the sicilian cosa nostra was killing govt people and were raging war with each other. Both the cartels and the sicilians were trying to rule their countries by ruthlessness and fear.

Does the Ndrangheta, and Camorra operate in America?

not sure about the camorra,but i havent heard anything about them operating here since the early 1900s . But the FBI website says they're 100-200 ndgrangheta members operating in the US, mostly in new york and florida. there has been a few cases against them here in the US over the last few years but nothing major. heres an article about an Italian prosecutor warning about the ndgrangheta in north america.


Ndrangheta Quickly Spreading In The United States
June 16th 2012 | Posted by Capo


Top anti-Mafia prosecutor in Italy Nicola Gratteri says that recent information from operations against the ‘Ndrangheta or Calabrian Mafia it Italy show it is quickly spreading in the United States. The Ndrangheta is now one of the world’s most powerful organized crime groups and making obscene amounts of money by controlling the drug trade in Europe. But now the Calabrian mafia is becoming intrenched in Canada , Australia , and the United States with little trouble from law enforcement.


Gratteri says the Ndrangheta is particularly operating in the United States in New York and Florida. A new route in the Ndrangheta drug trade has been uncovered and it is centered in New York City built around the ability to gain access to cocaine shipped in by the Mexican drug cartels. Many mob insiders also believe that the Ndrangheta clans in New York and Quebec Canada are responsible for the Mafia war in Canada against the Rizzuto crime family. The Montreal mafia war is over control of the drug trade there and has claimed the lives of the son and father of reputed Montreal mob boss Vito Rizzuto and former Bonanno crime family boss Salvatore Montagna among others. It is believed that Montagna aligned himself with the Ndrangheta in a play to take power of the underworld in Montreal from the Rizzuto family.

Gratteri says that the war against the ‘Ndrahgheta is unwinnable. The Ndrangheta has a large number of clever and determined members who’s motto is secrecy. They don’t have a godfather or single leader at the top like other standard mafia groups so no arrest can can really threaten to bring down or cripple the organization. Also it may be even tougher for the United States to battle the Ndrangheta at this time because resources to fight organized crime have been limited in a effort to concentrate more on terrorism.

Yeah it would be hard for American law enforcement to infiltrate the Ndrangheta because they can hide behind their culture.

To me, the main difference between the cartels and the mob are their interaction with civilians.

The mob makes money from civilians via extortion, loan sharking, and gambling.

The cartels are focused on moving large amounts of drugs, so they don't need to interact with the civilians in a business relationship. They are dependent on the civilians in their town to keep their whereabouts quiet, so they tend not to prey on the local community. Many high level cartel members are wanted by the Mexican government and are living openly in towns where they have the support of the people and the local law enforcement.

The Italian OC groups are a more "mature" form of organized crime. They are more diversified and more entrenched in the legitimate society in Italy. The Colombians and Mexicans certainly have plenty of legit interests as well but they have always been extremely dependent on the drug trade, relatively speaking.

Before the 'Ndrangheta started forming partnerships with the cartels to bring cocaine to Europe, the Sicilians had formed partnerships with the cartels involving both heroin and cocaine.

In addition to the 100-200 'Ndrangheta members and associates cited by the FBI, there are also said to be nearly 200 Camorra affiliates, and "very few" Sacra Corona Unita members. The FBI website also cites 2,500 affiliates in the U.S. but that number has always seemed rather high to me.

I've read some reports that LCN families have begun to form connections with Mexican DTO's, like they had with Colombian DTO's in the past. As a source for drugs, of course.

In terms of working relationships, the cartel (Mexican) has members on both sides of border. Unlike mobsters and tatted up Mexican gangbangers, the cartel guys don't look like your stereotypical criminals and blend in easily. They'll work with the Mexican American gangs before the mafia, although they are not the same organizations. But they share a common language and to an extent, culture.

a lot of the Mexican drug cartel members dress like cowboys.

Thanks for all the replies guys, they were a great help. The part about IOC being more integrated into the legit side of society seems very true. Thanks once again for your time.