ThePolkaVet, take a look at this page: http://mafiatoday.com/mafia-structure-and-definitions/

They have it listed as: Derogatory term for immigrant Sicilian Mafiosi operating within the United States. The Bonanno Family in New York is known to have maintained a working relationship with a crew of Zips.

For a more thorough explanation, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zips

Not just getting my stripes, something I can't talk about. Something that was ruining my whole life and he made it right. For what I owe him, I would follow that man into hell.