Jimmy Coonan had Mickey Spillane shot in Woodside Queens on May 13th, 1977. This secured control of the West Side rackets for Coonan, even though Spillane had retreated to Queens. Coonan acquired Spillane's top enforcer, Eddie "the butcher" Cummiskey, after the rubout.

A few years later, in 1981, Queens bred Joey Massino buried 3 Bonanno captains in an open pit called "city line" near Howard Beach.

Throughout the 80's and 90's Queens was very much a mob hotspot. And not just because of Gotti. The Genovese had a strong crew in Corona. The Gambinos controlled Woodhaven, Ozone, Howard and Richmond Hill. The Lucheses and Bonannano's had a presence on Cross Bay BLVD, Maspeth and Middle Village as well.