Originally Posted by furio_from_naples
Originally Posted by Revis_Island
Is there a big difference that distinguishes a mafia family from a cartel? Or are they interchangeable?


The difference is that a crime family isn't focused only on drug trafficking but are also in the white collar crimes and every lucrative rackets;another difference would be the fact that there an induction ceremony and that (in sicily) arent used children as sicarios. And more important a sicilian crime family stay in the shadow while the Cartels are always in war each others.

I think another big factor is that the mafia considers their members as not perishable or throwaway while the cartels do think of their sicarios, halcones(informants) and drug sellers as throw away.