Basciano wasn't a Purple Gang member, PB already stated this long ago, but the Blue Thunder case is discussed in depth in Anthony DeStefano's book, and none of the accused were Purple Gang members.
I have read that book twice and don't recall any Purple Gang mentions either. I also don't recall any mentions of the specific Bronx neighborhood where blue thunder was sold. The above poster says it was in Morrisania (157th street and Melrose).
This jives with what Pizza had always said. I recall on several occasions Pizza mentioned that Basciano set up in neighborhoods that other mobsters feared to go into. Morrisania is one of those neighborhoods. I delivered express mail there in the early 2000's and even then it was a warzone. Looked like Kosovo, literally.
