Everything the Arm says makes sense to an Illinois local. I live downstate now, but lived in Melrose for a few years and have extended family who were raised there and went to Catholic school with the Italian kids. I still go up to DuPage quite often, but I've only been in Melrose/Elmwood less times than I can count on one hand in the past decade. Still, I hear gossip from relatives and what the Arm says seems spot on (actually its a lot more info than what I have heard, but makes sense in the context of the area we're talking about).


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My only disagreement (if one wants to call it that) relates to the original argument that Chicago is as big as any of the 5 Families or some of the other East Coast operations. My understanding...from news articles...not pretending to know anything first hand...is that many of them are involved with the European Italian organized crime families in moving large scale narcotics. That means that they are probably involved in supplying the street gangs on the East Coast with cocaine and heroin and that means significant profits that would overshadow what I've seen described in regards to the Outfit's activities today.