If I'm not mistaken from memory, the Ursino clan is the one that made the alliance with the Gambino family, in the indictment with the guy that got 14 years, the Lupoi guy. In that indictment, it said the Gambinos brought their " South American contacts to bear".
It looks to mention the Queens bust, Gigliotti I think his name is right?
@Ivey
I don't think you actually NEED to take over the NY ports to get drugs into NY. More like just a good cover business usually does the trick. I think the Ursinos were using vegetables and fish? I mean there are a million ways, but it can be expensive the more elaborate you get, making the actual per kilo value higher for yourself, meaning it's harder to move the stuff quickly. That's why most just try to bribe someone, or a few KEY someone's. It's cheaper I guess, I keep wondering why the hell these guys keep using like the most obvious things, fish, flour, canned food.
Of course now, this is where maybe the NY families come in...... I'm trying to get a translation, gotta read the whole thing....
I just think the article goes a little far with some of its claims. The 5 NY families weakened by investigations and generational shift? That's true. Sicilians moving aside for Calabrians? Possibly? We've seen a steady rise in number of Ndrangheta-related busts in NY and they've always involved people connected to the NY families.
But it claims the Ursino clan, if I'm reading it correctly, is like a sixth family in the city now, controls all the big cocaine and weapons shipments, as well as money laundering, with its contacts to the Mexican and Colombian cartels and control of the ports and cargo.
It's obvious the Calabrians are involved in this stuff, partnering with the NY families, but I don't see evidence they have the kind of numbers or presence where they could be considered a sixth family or force any NY family into a partnership with threat of war.
And that "sixth family" label gets thrown around too much.
