"they don't have any illicit money-makers worth investigating, any capable structure worth investigating, any crews worth investigating. In all, for the FBI to completely ignore them, they would have to be weaker than a street gang"
That’s not exactly my point.
I think the US don't care for traditional (White) complex OC networks (Philly and NYC are mostly murder/gambling cases.). So i don't know if LCN are active in Buffalo. But I’m sure if they active they can do allot without trouble. Street gang are more sociological problem with a lot media attention. If they had a choice between a violent group (without much power) or a quiet (local) Crew (involved in some Blue & White dollar crime). I'm sure they take the gang shit.
I've said this before and I'll say it again. There could be some old-time Buffalo family guys that are still active in gambling and loansharking. In fact, I'd be very surprised if some the bookmaking & loansharking isn't still active. But a handful of Buffalo old-timers working independently in bookmaking and loansharking does not constitute an active crime family or a solid hierarchy.
Originally Posted by Nitro
Maybe old LCN family are death, but the high Ndrangheta & Cosa Nostra activity over the border makes it very likely for me they also have someone in Buffalo. But i don't know. The old family structure can also evolve. Maybe if we look for Boss and Underboss we commit a mistake.
It's not a case of looking for a "boss and underboss." It's a case of looking for an active Mafia family that is, or succeeded, the Todaro crime family. Not only is there no evidence of a present-day "boss and underboss," there is no evidence of any structure whatsoever.
Originally Posted by Nitro
In my opinion a good barometer are people they live there. Beneficial employed in nightlife, construction or the food industry. Of course this people can talk bullshit. I will become suspicious if it gets too detailed.
I agree. Local, city, and region-based journalists are the best conveyors of that. Especially dedicated organized crime reporters, like Mike Hudson. If everyone in the city agrees that the crime family is still active, than it wouldn't be possible for the Buffalo News to run a detailed, lengthy piece on how the Buffalo Mafia is dead and is never coming back. And the Buffalo Mafia DID run such a story. Last year.
Originally Posted by Nitro
Another point FBI and other agencies are interested in transnational groups. "The TOC Strategy recognizes that organized crime is no longer associated exclusively with traditional domestic groups, but is now fully Transnational in its origin, composition, and scope and poses unprecedented threats to the United States’ national and economic security. " @ https://www.justice.gov/jmd/file/821331/download
That means that if the Buffalo Mafia really does have a Canada connection to smuggle drugs, than that would be a huge target for the FBI.
Originally Posted by Nitro
But i think we should be carefully, because FBI talks a lot. FBI told us Ndrangheta had 200 active members. I have not heard of a single case.
