I know alot of folks on this board have exstensive knowledge in regards to the Mafia and organized crime and was wondering if anyone would be able to provide me with some information regarding 'Zips'.

In Donnie Brasco sicilians brought over to the United States to sell/smuggle heroin under the guise of running pizzeria's are referred to as Zips. However in one or two episode's of the Soprano's Zips refer to Sicilians in general.

I was just wodnering if anyone had any knowledge on this term; what it actually refers too? where it comes from? and any other information as I am very interested!

If I'm correct, and I may not be, the term "Zips" is used for Italian/Sicilian mafiosi who are specifically brought here by an American mafia family to murder somebody higher up in another family. They are quickly brought in and quickly shipped out after the "job" is completed. The big attraction is that the target does not recognize these guys let alone consider them a threat. Remember when Tony Soprano had "Zips" come over and try to kill Phil Leotardo? They posed as DHL delivery men and shot the wrong guy and his daughter. I think they are called "Zips" whether they come from the Naples Commora or the Corleonesi in Sicily.

The way I heard it, it was originally a scornful reference to the Sicilian dialect. I don't know. Of course in some circles the word is also a shortened form of a derogatory reference to Asians.

I picked up this reference from mafiatoday.com:

"For those without a mob glossary, “Zips” is street slang for the faction that includes about 25 Sicilian-born Bonanno mobsters, their relatives, and crew members – some of whom are American-born. It’s a funny word. “Zips” began as a derogative term. Some say it derives from the difficulty American mobsters have grasping the chatter of fast-speaking immigrants as it “zips” by; others say it’s a slang plural of zeros. But today, many so-called “Zips” wear the term as a “badge of honor” to describe so-called “old-school” or traditional mob values, including omerta and the use of violence whenever necessary."

So I guess Brasco's use of the term as applying only to Sicilian drug dealers during his time undercover was incorrect!

Thanks guys!

Carlo Gambino and Carmine Galante were responsible for bringing the zips over to the United States. Galante had two zips as his personal bodyguards cause he felt safer with them. He was eventually proven wrong when these two zips betrayed him and he was killed. One of the zips was then promoted to capo, I believe his name was Cesare Bonventre. He became the capo of zips in the Bonanno family. They where mostly involved in smuggling heroin from their pizza parlors, which were used as fronts.

If the zips come in undetected, not knowing the person they are supposed to kill then Where did Henry Hill's character in Goodfellas make certainly clear that when somebody was gonna get wacked, there would be a sit down and it would come from your FRIEND and not your enemy. (besides this is well known mafia fact anyway). The first def. of zip just doesn't make sense if this is the true case which I think it is.

They were mostly brought in to the United States to play a big part in the heroin trade.

Don't take that too literal.Its just a movie...

Most of the guys in Goodfellas were street guys,'associates',on the lowest level of mob hierarchy.It makes sense that if one of them needs to go,they would have someone close to him do it.That's the way it is most of the time.It happens that way because someone like say Henry Hill isn't important enough to warrant having an experienced hitman(from the family or from Italy) do him.

It should be pretty clear that if someone wanted to kill someone important,like say John Gotti,they would not go to Gravano and tell him to do it.

Bonventre was bodyguarding Galante and at the table with him when he was assassinated--and "miraculously" didn't get hit by any of the handgun rounds and shotgun blasts that killed his boss.

Another high-ranking zip, Salvatore Catalano, was ready to step in as Don of the Bonannos, but they had a rule that only American-born members could head the family.

He was later wacked himself though, cause they found him 'untrustworthy'.

Yes, Massino was getting really paranoid at that point. "Bonventre" was Joe Bonanno's family name on his mother's side, though I don't know if Cesare was related to him.

Sonny, I assume you've read Anthony Destefano's "King of the Godfathers." It's one of the very few excellent Mob boss bio's. If you haven't, I strongly recommend it.

Okay, I've added it to my wishlist. Thanks for the tip. I see there's also another biography about him; The Last Godfather. Have you also read that book?

It's the same book. Just retitled and updated somewhat.
http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=571822#Post571822

baldo amato was the second bodyguard of galante right?

You are correct Sir.

I was pretty sure Zips became the generic term for any mobster considered more "Italian" then "American". Like Galante's imports that went on to form the "Zip" Faction of the Bonanno's or the members of the Inzerillo-Gambino Faction of the Gambino's (The Cherry Hill Gambinos) Or like the Rizzuto's are called Zips. True though, it seems to be the Bonanno's that have the most visible Sicilian figures.

So funny this came up because I saw the worst mob movie ever this weekend...10th and wolf....and im from around that neighborhood. And they try to say its based on a true story which about 10% is. Anyway its about the philly mob, stanfa, merlino mainly. Merlino refers to Stanfa as zips in the movie. First off this movie was shot in Pittsburg so that was the first violation. Second off...it was just terrible. I think Merlino did use terms like that of STanfa and his guys in real life but I wouldn't know for sure. But they used "zip" a bunch of times in that horrible movie.

Start with Salvatore Catalano, research him a bit. He was a VERY influential Zip during the pizza connection days. He ran Knickerbocker ave with an iron fist. Pietro Licata use to run the show on knickerbocker and was a respected captain but he had a no drugs policy and he got whacked for it (Oh the irony given the no drugs policy!). Sal Catalano moved in to fill the void and the heroin started pumping.