I wonder, what happened to Frank Matthews? There is a short, 3min promo video for a dvd floating around. Him and Melvin probably interest me the most of the black kingpins, over the 2 rats. The Italians retail dope too. And probably always have. Depends on where you are. Not to many drug stings happening in the burbs. We had a guy in KC related to a prominent LCN family tree that got charged in a crack ring. He got killed a few years ago, but who knows why. In Italy, I'm sure there are younger guys in their clans involved on the street level.

its crazy how fast the whole dynamic of a criminal enterprise can change. 30 years ago the italians were responsible for the majority of the heroin importation in the northeast, by all accounts the biggest market in the us. today, i doubt they import anything of significance, although they are still involved as middlemen and brokers.

its crazy how fast the whole dynamic of a criminal enterprise can change. 30 years ago the italians were responsible for the majority of the heroin importation in the northeast, by all accounts the biggest market in the us. today, i doubt they import anything of significance, although they are still involved as middlemen and brokers.

I've read that Galante was so ruthless, he would have his cronies lure someone to an empty heroin den and inject the victim with heroin. If he died, they knew they had "good stuff".

Since you brought up Pizza Connection, I wonder what happened to Salvatore Catalano since he was released from prison two years ago? His pastry shop is still open on Metropolitan in Middle Village.

the infamous black man test. although i think galante referred to it as something slightly different seeing as though he wasnt afraid to mince words.

Whats the name of Catalano's shop?

I think that galante would have fit in much better during the 80s or even now, because i dont think theres anyone around that would challenge or confront him.

The cops/FBI would have a field day with this guy with todays crime fighting resources/techniques.
Galante is the guy who blew the doors off Costello's crypt with dynamite as a final "fuck you" to his old nemisis.
He wasnt the sort of guy to operate discreetly!

The zips were the importers wholesalers of the heroin, they worked with a handful of top lcn guys like matthew madonna and then you had mid level mob guys that would distribute it to street level guys that were running the corners or turf. However as african american crime groups became larger and more organised such as frank matthews, Nicky barnes and the council the pretlow group in new jersey they were able to take control of the street level and mid level trade meaning that they cut out alot of the middle men both black and italian and deal directly with the suppliers and top guys in the drug trade. Controlling street level sales although it brings the violence and police attention it however brings in the maximum profit that the drugs can make. Also you had an italians in the purple gang that sort of took over from nicky barnes for a short time when he was arrested and were supplying the network of dealers that were left over. Im not too sure if it was exclusively sold in the ghetto at the time as heroin has large white customer base as well especially now but it wouldnt suprise me if some of the lcn guys thought that only blacks do drugs hence they were safe selling it in the ghettos. As for what happens to the heroin it gets cut up with other substances which bulks it up and then sold. Also there have been a number of instances where mobsters have engaged in street level drug dealing, take this case for example http://www.nytimes.com/1996/10/02/nyregion/officials-say-mafia-ran-crack-ring-in-brooklyn.html