Link to article about this topic, along with part of the article itself, appears below:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/story/2012/10/18/tb-mafia-expert.html

Please note there is an error in the fourth paragraph regarding the year of the Italian investigation: the Operazione Il Crimine culminated in 2010, not 2011.

Few Mafia members in Thunder Bay, expert says
CBC News
Posted: Oct 18, 2012 1:51 PM ET Last Updated: Oct 18, 2012 1:45 PM ET

A Calabrian Mafia expert doubts the group is criminally active in Thunder Bay, but he said a few members may live in the community.

Dozens of people flocked to hear Toronto-based author Antonio Nicaso speak about Italy's political and economic situation at Thunder Bay's Italian Cultural Centre Wednesday evening.

But Nicaso is best known for his expertise on the notorious Calabrian Mafia, or 'Ndrangheta.

Although an Italian investigation in 2011 suggested there is an 'Ndrangheta cell in Thunder Bay, Nicaso told CBC he believes it involves very few people and highly doubts they are criminally active.

He said it's unlikely Mafia leaders would try to bolster the group's presence in Thunder Bay....

Canada better wake up. This story has been around for months. Italian forces have names, addresses, businesses of Ndrangheta people over there and still the Govt. seems not to care that much. Some were even sentenced in absentia in Italy.
Same in Australia.

It's simply disappointing from two of the top countries on the planet.

Stop the yadda-yadda and start jailing and deporting!

A number of online news stories on this subject have been published today, specifically about a Calabrian-Canadian man from Thunder Bay who is on trial in Italy. Links to the articles, as well as the excerpts from the articles, appear below.

Link:

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/06/28/an_italian_crime_clans_reach_into_canada.html

Excerpts:

An Italian crime clan’s reach into Canada
Trial of Thunder Bay's Giuseppe Bruzzese for alleged “Mafia association” highlights reach of ’Ndrangheta organized crime clan, authorities say.
By Peter Edwards, Julian Sher, and Robert Cribb
Toronto Star
Published on Fri Jun 28 2013

LOCRI, ITALY—Italian prosecutors are calling for a Thunder Bay man to be sent to prison for 19 years if found guilty of Mafia charges in a trial authorities say highlights the global reach of a secretive organized crime clan, from the Calabrian region of southern Italy all the way to northern Ontario.

Giuseppe Bruzzese, 66, who was arrested while in Italy in 2011, is accused of “Mafia association” — a serious crime there, which has no comparable offence in Canada — after being caught on secret police recordings meeting with a top crime boss in that country.

Bruzzese, who denies the charges, looked relaxed and confident during the proceedings in the sweltering courtroom, wearing a blue short-sleeved shirt and smiling from behind the glass wall that separates prisoners from spectators and the battery of lawyers.

But his trial — and outstanding Italian arrest warrants issued for three other Thunder Bay residents, including a successful local businessman — may shed light on the connection between the city and a powerful Mafia organization called the ’Ndrangheta.

[snip]

Also listed in the arrest warrants are Antonio Minnella, 72, who runs a real-estate and development firm; a retired welder named Rocco Etreni, 66; and Cosimo Cirillo, 55.

Minnella denied he has any connection to the Mafia, in a telephone interview with the CBC on Thursday.

[snip]

A Star/Radio-Canada investigation last fall revealed Ontario has become an international “penal colony” for alleged Italian Mafia figures who find refuge here, untouched by Canadian law. RCMP officials told the Star there are likely two ’Ndrangheta cells — or “locali” — in Thunder Bay and five in Toronto....
__________________

Link:

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/0...s_to_mafia.html

Excerpt:

Italian arrest warrants accuse Thunder Bay men of links to Mafia
Antonio Minnella, one of the four accused, says he believes he’s a victim of mistaken identity.
By Peter Edwards, Julian Sher, and Robert Cribb
Toronto Star
Published on Fri Jun 28 2013

THUNDER BAY—Depending on whom you ask, Antonio Minnella is either a successful businessman running a prominent local company with his two brothers or a wanted Italian Mafia figure nicknamed “Ntoni the goat.”

What is certain is that Minnella, 72, is one of four Thunder Bay men accused in Italian arrest warrants last year of being part of an international Mafia organization with roots in a northern Ontario city.

The others cited in warrants issued by Italian Judge Kate Tassone are Cosimo Cirillo, 55, Rocco Etreni, 66, and Giuseppe Bruzzese, 66.

Bruzzese is on trial in Italy this week after being arrested by authorities there in 2011.

There is no mention of any of the Thunder Bay men committing any crimes in Canada.

Minnella said he’s not a member of the Mafia and has no connection to the criminal organization, in a telephone interview with the CBC on Thursday.

He said he grew up in Siderno, Italy, with Bruzzese but only knows him well enough to say hello and goodbye.

Minnella said he believes he’s a victim of mistaken identity.

“I think they made a mistake . . . so many have the same name as me,” he said.

The Italian allegations focus on conversations between visiting Canadians and a top ’Ndrangheta leader named Giuseppe “The Master” Commisso in 2009. Commisso was eventually sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role as an ’Ndrangheta leader.

Italian judge Tassone concluded that secret police surveillance of the laundromat in Siderno where Commisso did business showed Etreni met with the Mafia boss at least three times between July 27 and Aug. 10, 2009. Tassone reported she saw evidence of Cirillo in recorded conversations with Commisso on two dates during the same time period.

Cirillo and Etreni, a retired welder in Thunder Bay, could not be reached for comment.

While Minnella himself was not captured in the laundromat recordings, he was referred to by the others as being a leading figure in a Thunder Bay Mafia cell, Italian authorities allege....
__________________

Link:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-ba...al.html?cmp=rss

Excerpt:

Ontario man accused of Mafia links faces prison in Italy
Giuseppe Bruzzese was arrested in Italy in 2011 and is currently on trial
CBC News
Posted: Jun 28, 2013 5:12 AM ET Last Updated: Jun 28, 2013 9:29 AM ET

[snip]

Nicola Gratteri, the chief anti-Mafia prosecutor in Calabria, said the ‘Ndrangheta is the only Mafia that is present on all continents.

"I think the foreign country where the ‘Ndrangheta is the most present is in Canada," he said.

"Mostly in Ontario, especially Toronto, and also in Montreal,” Gratteri added. “We have found in our research there are at least nine ‘Ndrangheta localis [sic] just in Toronto. Which means there are hundreds of members, as each locali has at least 51 members."
__________________

Link:

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/0...d_in_italy.html

Excerpts:

Siderno mayor feted in Thunder Bay, arrested in Italy
Siderno mayor Alessandro Figliomeni still in jail in Italy after police wiretaps of Mafia meetings
By Peter Edwards, Julian Sher
Toronto Star
Published on Fri Jun 28 2013

THUNDER BAY—He was hailed as a “guest of honour” when he came here in 2009 to deliver a two-metre-tall brightly painted statue of the Madonna from the southern Italian city of Siderno to this city’s historic St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church.

But within a year, Siderno mayor Alessandro Figliomeni was arrested in a major Mafia sweep of more than 50 people in Italy. He remains in jail facing allegations that he was a “politician of reference for the criminal organization” who was “promoting the interests” of organized crime, according to court documents obtained by the Toronto Star and Radio-Canada.

Italian prosecutors said he was also a “santista” or senior member of the Giuseppe (The Master) Commisso crime family and they accuse him of being “part of a mafia-type association called the ’Ndrangheta that operated in Italy and “across national borders, specifically in Canada in the city of Toronto.”

Figliomeni made at least four visits to Thunder Bay — two of which were official — during his time at mayor.

Thunder Bay — which has a large population who hail from Siderno or have family ties there — was officially twinned with the Italian city for more than a decade until the agreement expired in 2006.

[snip]

His brother-in-law is Antonio (The Lawyer) Commisso, formerly of Hollywood Hills Circle in Vaughan. Antonio Commisso, who is not a Canadian citizen, was extradited to Italy in July 2005 to face a 10-year sentence for Mafia association. Italian authorities called him the “head of a dangerous, bloodthirsty Mafia association which . . . imposed on the town of Siderno the burden of a permanent criminal presence....”

Im sorry I didnt see this post until now. This is all bullshit on the part of law enforcement. For those who dint know, years ago, I cant remember exactly when it was, but an RCMP undercover of Calabrian decent was almost "made" into the Thunder Bay cell of the Canada Ndrangheta. It could have been in the 1970s or 80s because what I specifically remember is that the cell was newly formed n had only 6 "made" members or men of honor at the time the RCMP infiltrated the cell. in fact, I remember thinking to myself when I found out...."shit, they pulled a Donnie Brasco on them. This is worse than the Francesco Caccamo papers incident." Because the cell wss new n do small I figured the whole cell is gonna be whacked out for this disgrace. Im gonna try n find some old articles on this.

The Canadian government has known for 30 yrs that the Italian community in Thunder Bay is dominated by Italians of Calabrian decent n that an Ndrangheta cell has been operating there. For some reason the Canadian government just wont go after the Known Calabrian mafiosi unless they are big bosses like Giuseppe n Antonio Coluccio n Antonio Commisso, all deported from the Toronto area over the last few years.

As you can read, the mayor of Siderno was a Figliomeni family member, n as stated he was the brother in law of Siderno clan boss Antonio "The Master" Commisso, who I believe took over after Antonio "The Lawyer" Commisso was deported from Canada n jailed in Italy. Before him I believe Cosimo "The Quail" Commisso was the boss. The Qusil took over in the mid-1970s ehen Antonio Macri was assassinated.

All the Commissos mentioned are cousins of the Roronto Commissos, brother Cosimo, Rocco-Remo n Michele Commisso. Eldest brother Cosimo serves on La Camera di Controllo representing his clan or family, the powerful Commisso-Figliomeni-Baggetta family of Siderno. Two Figliomeni brothers or cousins also serve on La Camera di Controllo, Angelino n Cosimo Figliomeni, off the top of my head n if im not mistaken. They are listed in various Toronto Star n Toronto Sun articles that list the 7 alleged families on la Camera di Controllo in Toronto.

Toronto based Calabrian boss Vincenzo "Jimmy" Di Maria sits on La Camera di Controllo. As I mentioned the Commisso n Figliomeni families n the Coluccio family is represented.

Some of the names of resent bosses are:

Jimmy DeMaria

Cosimo Commisso. Brother Rocco-Remo is said to be his "substituto" or substitute.

Brothers Antonio n Giuseppe Coluccio (Giuseppe after Antonio was deported, then Giuseppe was deported)

Brothers or cousins Angelino n Cosimo Figliomeni

Vincenzo Tavernese

Dominic Ruso

La Camera di Controllo founding members 1962:

Giacomo Luppino, Michele "Mike the Baker" Racco, Salvatore Triumbari, Filippo Vendemini, Vincenzo Deleo, Cosimo Stalteri n Rocco Zito.

Bosses like Giacomo Luppino n Mike Racco were based in Hamilton n Toronto since the mid-1950s. They were very influential n respected n well know by law enforcement. The Canadian government is really soft or you could say, negligent when it comes to the Calabrians. They concentrated to much on the Sicilians n now the Calabrians are so powerful n entrenched even more. Its like the Canadians dont wanna be bothered deporting Italian mafiosi unless they get absolute demands
From the Italian government or they can get a boss on a big drug or racketeering case that will make names for all the head-honcho cops n crown prosecutors involved. Its hilarious. N then they winder with our lax laws n prosecutions n lax money laundering laws why they call Canada a criminal haven loved by the Calabrians n many other international criminals.

Grazie, great post LittleJoeShots!