http://z14.invisionfree.com/GangstersInc/ar/t618.htm The Purple Gang was not exclusively Italian-American. They used the toughest, smartest and best street thugs from any ethnic group. The leaders, however, were of Italian origin and were marked by various families to become made members of La Cosa Nostra when the membership books were opened. Vinny Basciano, one time "Boss" of the Bonanno borgata, was a Purple Gang member, responsible for their considerable interests in Westchester County. At the time, the late 1970s through mid 1980's, Vinny Gorgeous was the owner of the heroin brand "Blue Thunder"--a very popular bag sold primarily in the neighborhood around 157th street and Melrose Avenue in the Bronx.
Arnold "Zeke" Squitieri, a powerful Gambino captain, was also a Purple Gang shot caller in the early 1970s, and, legend has it, was the man who made the lucrative world of babania available to a young John Gotti in 1977. Bobby Germaine, a close associate of Jimmy Burke, familiar to most as "Jimmy Conway," in the Martin Scorcese film Goodfellas--and by proxy supergrass Henry Hill was an influential member. You can even make a leap and consider The Purple Gang the modern extension of the 107th Street Mob which held among its ranks such Mammasantisima as Frank Costello(Castigila), Vito Genovese, John Ormento and an early Federal Bureau of Narcotics informant Eugenio Gianinni. Mr. Gianinni was shot and dumped on 109th street after attempting to gather evidence of the FBN's "Moby Dick," Lucky Luciano, and his involvement in the international heroin traffic.
Carmine (Gribbs) Tramunti was the LCN overseer of the Purple Gang during the late 1960s. Gribbs was the front boss of the Lucchese clan after Gaetano Lucchese died in 1967. Many believe that Paul Vario of Brooklyn was the real boss until Anthony Corallo took the helm in or around 1973.
The Colombo crime family also had it's hand in the Purple pot. In 1983, the Colombo's were running a heroin operation based in Hell's Kitchen's northern edge in concert with the Purple Gang and the Irish locals, mythologized as "The Westies." 9th Avenue and 49th street during the mid to late 1980s and 37th street between 6th and 7th avenues (dealers would stand in doorways that led to garment district sweat shops) were the street outlet points for this alliance. In addition to heroin (10 dollars a bag), nickle (5 dollar) bags of cocaine were also sold.
