i also have questions about the french medias use of the term clans.i have a hard time believing that there r 13 mafia groups,clans,cells or crews whatever u want to call them of even 10 members each let alone 19 operating in MTL.i think of it as different factions as i don't yet believe that the mafia is united as one so called family.
so for example the Rizzuto/Sollecito faction could have3- 4 of these clans/cells working for it.
vittorio mirarchi could operate his own cell that is entirely independent of the R/S faction.
its more likely that these clans/cells consist of 3-5 core members w/ associates who come and go or come from different criminal groups for brief periods of time for select jobs/work.