So what's the seal with his kids.I know some are involved in the life but are they retired still active or in jail? Soldiers or captains? I bet they had alot of money from there old man when he passed

Anyone know if Joe Profaci's sons or nephews are still living, serving the Colombo's or retired?

It´s amazing how many tough, stone cold killers that "small" Family of his has produced.

In 1959 federal authorities caught on to Profaci’s drug trafficking having seized crates of hollowed out oranges that Profaci imported from Italy. Inside the oranges authorities found baggies of heroin with a total weight of 110 pounds. Despite having tape a phone conversation with Profaci and another man in Italy, authorities did not have enough evidence to charge him with a crime.

At this point, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that prohibition against drugs and alcohol in the 1920's was meant to give the Mafia a monopoly.

Thank you for the warm welcome. Yes I am new here.

I think part of the challenge in establishing the sources for the factoid about the heroin oranges is the fact that the factoid originates from the Palermo Questura. So this is not a simple freedom of information act request to an American law enforcement agency to give up files. This is Sicilian law enforcement from 80 years ago. The Questura are supposed to be the ones who taped the conversation about the oranges.

Looking into the issue, there is a strong case to be made about Mafia heroin trafficking from even the time of the establishment of the commission. But back then it wasn't the French Connection, it was the Burmese Chinese Connection with Sicily (Profaci's Villabate, Castellemmare Del Golfo, Palermo, Trapani, etc?) being the last point in refinement and shipment before reaching the United States as with the French Connection.

PS; Apparently with the anti Narcotics Acts being passed in the 1920's, there is legal evidence of a heroin issue in the United States before the establishment of the Commission. Evidently, drug prohibition ran concurrently with alcohol prohibition, and the mafia capitalized on both laws to enrich themselves. At this point, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that prohibition against drugs and alcohol in the 1920's was meant to give the Mafia a monopoly.

Wow, a new poster who, instead of engaging in childish name calling, actually initiates an intelligent discussion to support his points? Sounds good to me.

Welcome to the board.

Profaci was not a drug trafficker. He was the "olive-oil king". A multi millionaire. No need for him to go into drugs. He was extremely devoted to his businesses. There´s very little info on him which shows how low key he was. Did he use his connections/muscles in order for his businesses to flourish? Absolutely! Was he a murderer? Absolutely! But a drug trafficker he was not.

Capeci also seems to be convinced Profaci was involved in drugs. And Profaci being a multi-millionaire through legit business isn't a reason to assume he wasn't involved in the drug trade. It didn't stop him from being involved in many other crimes, up to and including murder.

Nothing seems to suggest that he was involved (evidence wise), other than that passage above posted by Alfa. But the way I see it, is that we shouldn´t jump to the conclusion that he was due to that we don´t know where that passage has its origin or what it was based upon. Let´s just agree to disagree.

I remember once reading about Profaci´s farm in NJ. Apparently there was a takeoff and landing strip for airplanes located on the grounds. I think I read this in a book and the author was very fast to conclude that the landing strip was used by Profaci to smuggle drugs. How absurd! All that was missing in that ridiculous story is that Profaci himself flew the aircraft and used Magliocco as his copilot. My point is that a lot of stories avialable is pure rubbish.

One thing that may be of interest is how and why Profaci became close with Joe Bonanno. Rosalie Profaci, daughter of Salvatore (Profaci´s brother) and wife of Bill Bonnano explains this in her book Mafia Marriage:

"Canada was a main source of illicit liquor at the time, and illicit liquor being a staple of my uncle Joseph’s and Stephen Magaddino’s incomes, I suppose arrangements for bringing my father into the United States from Canada were not difficult to make. It was Joseph Bonanno, Stephen Magaddino’s cousin, who was sent to Canada to ease my father’s way. When Mr. Bonanno met my father, they were both young men in their early twenties. They did not go directly back to New York, but spent a couple of months living and working together at bootlegging in Buffalo, so that by the time Mr. Bonanno delivered Joe Profaci’s little brother to him, not only had a friendship been forged, but a lasting alliance in their world."