True TB. The novel is confusing. At the meeting with Sollozzo, Vito states that he won't have to concern himself with operations. However, Tom refers to middlemen having clean records, but Vito states that they will not help a real snowbird. I'm not sure that they are not referring to distribution.

Of course, the reason for Sonny's gaff is given as his desire to run an operation of his own. I don't see legal and political protection as an operation and certainly not for Sonny; an operation sounds like distribution to me.