http://www.sundayworld.com/top-stories/c...mobster-outfitsCosa Nostra on the rise in business suits instead of mobster outfits.
Hollywood’s favourite mafia family , the Cosa Nostra no longer has the public profile it once had but now, it is even more dangerous as a result, mafia experts claim.
The Sicilian mafia or the Cosa Nostra, has been transformed after multiple hits from law enforcement arising from their visibility on the big screen, but now they have taken a back seat in terms of visibility but not in terms of power and danger.
Now according to mafia watchers they travel in political and business circles and not longer play on their rustic authenticity and now rely upon business nous and connections to build upon their cash piles and develop a business empire away from the watchful eyes of the money laundering authorities.
They have adapted to the new legal landscape and prove more adept at melting into the business community than any other the other mafia families and groups and profited hugely as a result.
Mafia Watch say that although they have become more low key they are as dangerous as ever.
“Unlike the past they are no longer so easy to see as they are no longer the peasant leaders and are now graduates and do business in suits along side bankers and politicians”, the monitoring group write concurring with many who believe that this trait makes them even more violent, powerful and terrifying than ever.
In the past, the Sicilian mafia made wave with “ violent and treacherous reactions” to incusions on its power base but if you want a reminder of their inherent violent blood line you only have to look at the assassinations of anti-mafia judges and to the recent threats issued by their jailed boss,
Toto Riina, which proves that they can exact as much contol and power as ever before, although in not quite so public a manner.
It is a more discrete and quiet organization but every bit as dangerous.
Mafia watch say that the “new low profile way of doing business may be helping to keep the Sicilian Mafia out of the headlines to an extent but they are still conducting business as usually across Italy.
They still maintain a level of violence needed to maintain what is left of their power base and are responsible for vast amounts political corruption along with collections of “Pizzo” or protection money from a large number of people and businesses.” Pizzo is equivalent to about 5% gross on the sale of every product or service in mafia controlled zones which goes in a undeclared tax to the mafia families.
The concern is that there is a new influx of younger members and equally dangerous, slicker mobsters ready to take over to take the Cosa Nostra to new heights unless law enforcement keeps the pressure on”.
