Modern world There are many criminal groups, and each has its own leader, its own boss, its own head. But comparing the current leaders of the mafia and criminal organizations with the bosses of past dashing years is a matter doomed to failure and criticism. Past bosses of the criminal world created entire empires of evil and violence, extortion and drug trafficking. Their so-called families lived according to their own laws, and violation of these laws foreshadowed death and cruel punishment for disobedience. We bring to your attention a list of the most legendary and influential mafiosi in history.
10
(1974 - present time)
Once the leader of one of the largest drug cartels in Mexico, which is called Los Zetas. At the age of 17 he entered the Mexican army, and later worked in special squad to fight the drug cartel. The transition to the side of the traders occurred after he was recruited into the Golfo cartel. The private mercenary force Los Zetas hired from the organization later grew into the largest drug cartel in Mexico. Heriberto dealt very harshly with his competitors, for which his criminal group was given the nickname “Executioners.”
9
(1928 — 2005)
Since 1981, he led the Genovese family, while everyone considered Antonio Salermo to be the boss of the family. Vincent was nicknamed "Crazy Boss" for his, to put it mildly, inappropriate behavior. But, it was only for the authorities; Gigante’s lawyers spent 7 years bringing certificates indicating that he was crazy, thereby avoiding a sentence. Vincent's people controlled crime throughout New York and other major American cities.
8
(1902 – 1957)
The boss of one of the five mafia families of criminal America. The head of the Gambino family, Albert Anastasia, had two nicknames - “The Chief Executioner” and “The Mad Hatter”, and the first was given to him because his group “Murder, Inc.” was responsible for about 700 deaths. He was a close friend of Lucky Luciano, whom he considered his teacher. It was Anastasia who helped Lucky take control of the entire criminal world, carrying out contract killings for him of the bosses of other families.
7
(1905 — 2002)
Patriarch of the Bonanno family and the richest mobster in history. The history of the reign of Joseph, who was called “Banana Joe,” goes back 30 years; after this period, Bonanno voluntarily retired and lived in his personal huge mansion. The Castellamarese War, which lasted 3 years, is considered one of the most significant events in the criminal world. Ultimately, Bonanno organized a crime family that still operates in the United States.
6
(1902 – 1983)
Meir was born in Belarus, the city of Grodno. Coming from Russian Empire became the most influential person in the USA and one of the country's crime leaders. He is the creator of the National Crime Syndicate and the parent of the gambling business in the states. He was the largest bootlegger (illegal liquor dealer) during Prohibition.
(1902 – 1976)
It was Gambino who became the founder of one of the most influential families in criminal America. After seizing control of a number of highly profitable areas, including illegal bootlegging, a government port and an airport, the Gambino family becomes the most powerful of the five families. Carlo forbade his people from selling drugs, considering this type of business dangerous and attracting public attention. At its height, the Gambino family consisted of more than 40 groups and teams, and controlled New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Miami and Los Angeles.
4
(1940 – 2002)
John Gotti was a famous figure, the press loved him, he was always dressed to the nines. Numerous New York law enforcement charges always failed, Gotti escaped punishment for a long time. For this, the press nicknamed him “Teflon John.” He received the nickname “Elegant Don” when he began to dress only in fashionable and stylish suits with expensive ties. John Gotti has been the leader of the Gambino family since 1985. During the reign, the family was one of the most influential.
3
(1949 – 1993)
The most brutal and daring Colombian drug lord. He went down in the history of the 20th century as the most brutal criminal and the head of the largest drug cartel. He organized the supply of cocaine to different parts of the world, mainly to the USA, on a grand scale, even transporting tens of kilograms on airplanes. During his entire activity as the head of the Medellin cocaine cartel, he was involved in the murders of more than 200 judges and prosecutors, more than 1,000 police officers and journalists, presidential candidates, ministers, and prosecutors general. Escobar's net worth in 1989 was more than $15 billion.
2
(1897 – 1962)
Originally from Sicily, Lucky became, in fact, the founder of underworld. His real name is Charles, Lucky, which means “Lucky”, they began to call him after he was taken to a deserted highway, tortured, beaten, cut, burned in the face with cigarettes, and he remained alive after that. The people who tortured him were Maranzano gangsters; they wanted to know the location of the drug cache, but Charles remained silent. After unsuccessful torture, they abandoned the bloody body without any signs of life by the road, thinking that Luciano was dead, where he was picked up by a patrol car 8 hours later. He received 60 stitches and survived. After this incident, the nickname “Lucky” remained with him forever. Luckey organized the Big Seven, a group of bootleggers to whom he provided protection from the authorities. He became the boss of Cosa Nostra, which controlled all areas of activity in the criminal world.
1
(1899 – 1947)
A legend of the underworld of those times and the most famous mafia boss in history. He was a prominent representative of criminal America. His areas of activity were bootlegging, prostitution, and gambling. Known as the organizer of the most brutal and significant day in the criminal world - the St. Valentine's Day massacre, when seven influential gangsters from the Irish Bugs Moran gang were shot dead, including right hand boss. Al Capone was the first among all gangsters to “launder” money through a huge network of laundries, the prices of which were very low. Capone was the first to introduce the concept of “racketeering” and successfully dealt with it, laying the foundation for a new vector of mafia activity. Alfonso received the nickname “Scarface” at the age of 19, when he worked in a billiards club. He allowed himself to object to the cruel and seasoned criminal Frank Galluccio, moreover, he insulted his wife, after which a fight and a stabbing occurred between the bandits, as a result of which Al Capone received the famous scar on his left cheek. By right, Al Capone was the most influential person and terrifying at everyone, including the government, which was able to put him behind bars just for tax evasion.
“Cosa Nostra” - these words made every inhabitant of the sunny island tremble. Entire family clans were involved in criminal mafia groups. Sicily, this one blooming garden, was raised on rivers of blood. The Sicilian mafia spread its tentacles throughout Italy, and even the American godfathers had to reckon with it.
Having returned from the south of Italy, I shared my impressions with one of my friends. When I said that I couldn’t get to Sicily, I heard in response: “Well, it’s for the best, because there’s a mafia there!”
Unfortunately, the sad glory of the island, washed by the waters of three seas, is such that its name conjures up not delightful landscapes and unique cultural monuments, not the centuries-old traditions of the people, but a mysterious criminal organization that has entangled, like a web, all spheres of society. This idea of a “crime syndicate” was greatly promoted by famous films: about Commissioner Cattani, who fell in an unequal battle with the “octopus,” or about the “godfather” Don Corleone, who moved to America from Sicily. In addition, we have heard echoes of high-profile trials of mafia leaders in the 80s and 90s, when the fight against organized crime in Italy reached its climax. However, no success of the authorities and the police in this endeavor can change the postulate ingrained in the consciousness of society: “The Mafia is immortal.” Is it really?
It is generally accepted that the mafia is a rather complex, branched criminal organization with its own strict laws and traditions, the history of which goes back to the Middle Ages. In those distant times, in the underground galleries of Palermo, people armed with swords and pikes were hiding, hiding their faces under hoods - members of the mysterious religious sect"Beati Paoli". The name “mafia” itself appeared in the 17th century. The word is believed to be based on an Arabic root meaning "protection"; there are also other interpretations of it - “refuge”, “poverty”, “secret murder”, “witch”... In the 19th century, the mafia was a brotherhood that protected “the unfortunate Sicilians from foreign exploiters”, in particular from those who ruled at that time time of the Bourbons. The struggle ended with a revolution in I860, but the peasants, instead of their previous oppressors, found new ones in the person of their compatriots. Moreover, the latter managed to introduce into the life of Sicilian society the relations and code of conduct that had developed in the depths of the secret terrorist organization. Criminal orientation quickly became the cornerstone of the “brotherhood”; corruption, which it supposedly fought against, was in fact the basis of its existence; mutual assistance turned into mutual responsibility.
Skillfully using the traditional distrust of the official authorities among the population of the region, the mafia formed an alternative government, practically replacing the state where it could act more effectively, for example, in such an area as justice. The mafia undertook to solve any problems of the peasant, and - at first glance - for free. And the poor turned to her for protection that the state could not provide them. The peasants did not think that someday it would be their turn to provide services to their patron. As a result, each village had its own mafia clan, which administered its own justice. And the common myth about a secret, centralized and extensive organization with thousand years of history greatly contributed to strengthening the authority of such clans as its “local divisions.”
Palermo Airport bears the names of Falcone and Borsellino, who have become legends in today's Italy. Prosecutor Giovanni Falcone and his successor Paolo Borsellino worked like no one else to cleanse Sicily of the mafia. Falcone became the prototype for the famous Commissioner of Catania.
1861 is an important milestone in the history of the mafia - it became a real political force. Relying on the poor population of Sicily, the organization managed to nominate its candidates to the Italian parliament. By buying or intimidating other deputies, the mafia was able to largely control political situation in the country, and the mafiosi, still relying on lower criminal structures, turned into respectable members of society, claiming a place in its upper class. Researchers compare Italian society of that time to “a layer cake, in which connections between layers were carried out not by official representatives, but by informal ones, i.e. soldiers of the mafia." Moreover, without denying the criminal nature of such government structure, many of them recognize it as completely rational. In the book by Norman Lewis, for example, you can read that in the “mafia” Palermo, a housewife could easily forget her handbag on a table in a bar, since the next day she would certainly find it in the same place.
The authorities of Palermo developed a program to combat the mafia, which was called the “Sicilian cart”. The “Sicilian cart” is two-wheeled. One wheel is repression: police, court, intelligence services. The other wheel is culture: theater, religion, school.
Nevertheless, the new, “legal” mafia could not save the south of Italy from terrible impoverishment, as a result of which, between 1872 and the First World War, about 1.5 million Sicilians emigrated, mainly to America. Prohibition served as fertile ground for illegal business and capital accumulation, former members the brotherhoods united again and successfully recreated their usual way of life on foreign soil - this is how Cosa Nostra was born (initially this name was used to refer specifically to the American mafia, although now the Sicilian mafia is also often called this way).
In Italy, the mafia continued to be a state within a state until the fascists came to power in 1922. Like any dictator, Benito Mussolini could not come to terms with the existence of any alternative power structures, even informal and perverted ones. In 1925, Mussolini deprives the mafia of its main tool political influence, canceling the elections, and then decides to finally bring to its knees an organization objectionable to the regime and sends special prefect Cesare Mori to Sicily, giving him unlimited powers. Thousands of people were thrown into prison without sufficient evidence; Sometimes sieges of entire cities were declared in order to capture the “godfathers,” but Mori’s tough tactics bore fruit - many mafiosi were put behind bars or killed, and in 1927, not without reason, victory over organized crime was declared. In fact, the fascist party itself began to play the role of the mafia as a guarantor of public order in Sicily and a mediator between the government and the peasants.
The most “mafia” Sicilian sweet is cannoli, wafer rolls with a sweet filling. They eat these all the time in The Godfather. Another Sicilian dessert is cassata, an almond-based cake. A tourist town Erice specializes in vegetables and fruits made from colored marzipan.
Those influential mafiosi who managed to escape Mori's persecution found refuge in the United States. However, here, too, the free life of Cosa Nostra was disrupted: first by the abolition of Prohibition in 1933, which dealt a blow to the mafia’s business, and then by fairly successful, although not always legal, government actions against the most odious figures of the criminal organization. For example, the notorious Al Capone was sent to prison for 11 years for tax evasion, and another “greatest gangster in America,” John Dillinger, was simply shot dead by federal agents as he left a movie theater. However, the end of the Second World War was approaching, and the Allies found it tempting to use the authority of the heads of organized crime to seize Sicily. The “boss of bosses” of the latter, Lucky Luciano, who was sentenced by a US court to 35 years in prison, acted as an intermediary between the Sicilian and American mafias. The replacement of this punishment with deportation to Rome was apparently a good incentive for him - Luciano agreed with his Italian “colleagues” to assist the allies in landing on Sicily, and the inhabitants of the island greeted the British and American troops as liberators.
However, there has never been a case where society did not have to pay for the services of the mafia. Almost brought to her knees, she suddenly had the opportunity to be reborn in a new capacity. The dons who most distinguished themselves in the fight against the fascists were appointed mayors in the main cities of Sicily; at the expense of the Italian army, the mafia was able to replenish its arsenal; a thousand mafiosi who helped the allied forces were amnestied under the peace treaty. The Sicilian mafia strengthened its position in its homeland, strengthened ties with its American “sister” and, moreover, significantly expanded its holdings - both territorially (penetrating into Milan and Naples, previously untouched by it), and in the scope of its criminal business. Since the late 50s, the heads of the Sicilian organization have become the main suppliers of heroin to America.
This was started by the same Lucky Luciano, who, by the way, lived to see old age and died of a heart attack almost during a meeting with an American director who was going to make a film about his life. The efforts of his followers were aimed both at drug trafficking and at establishing connections between the mafia and politicians. How much they have succeeded in this over the past decades can be judged by the report of the Italian Anti-Mafia Commission: “Numerous relationships have formed between mafiosi, businessmen and individual politicians, which have led to the fact that the authorities state power found themselves in an extremely humiliated position... The mafia often resorted to threats or direct physical liquidation of people, even interfering in political issues, since the fate of the entire business, the income of the mafia and the influence of its individual representatives depended on them.”
Thus, the impression was created that nothing threatened the well-being of the mafia. But this is not entirely true - the danger lay within the organization itself. The structural structure of the mafia is well known: at the top of the pyramid there is a head (capo), next to whom there is always an adviser (consigliere), the heads of departments (caporeggime) who manage ordinary performers (picciotti) are directly subordinate to the head. IN Sicilian mafia its cells-detachments (koskos) consist of blood relatives. The Koskis, under the leadership of one don, are united into a consorteria (family), and all the consorteries together make up the mafia. However, the romantic version of an organization united by common goals becomes nothing more than a myth when it comes to big money.
The ritual of initiation into the Sicilian mafia involves cutting the newcomer's finger and spilling his blood on the icon. He takes the icon in his hand and it is lit. A beginner must endure the pain until it burns away. At the same time, he must say: “Let my flesh burn like this saint if I break the rules of the mafia.”
Each consorteria has its own interests, often very different from the interests of other parts of the mafia. Sometimes the heads of families manage to agree among themselves on the division of spheres of influence, but this does not always happen, and then society witnesses bloody wars between mafia clans, as was the case, for example, in the early 80s. The response to the drug trade that led to this terrible massacre was the government's anti-mafia campaign, and the mafia in turn established a reign of terror, the victims of which were high-ranking officials, politicians and law enforcement officers. In particular, in 1982, General Della Cisa was killed, who began to unearth mafia scams in the construction industry and became interested in the question of who protects it in the government. Ten years later, the main mafioso, Tommaso Buscetta, who was arrested in Brazil, said that the clan of Giulio Andreotti, who served as prime minister seven times, ordered the murder of Della Chisa. Buscetta is also the author of the so-called “Buscetta theorem,” according to which the mafia is a single organization based on a strict hierarchy, with its own laws and specific comprehensive plans. This “theorem” was firmly believed by the anti-mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, who back in the 80s conducted a number of investigations, as a result of which hundreds of mafiosi were brought to trial.
After Buscetta's arrest, Falcone, relying on his testimony, had the opportunity to launch several “high-profile cases” against them. The judge vowed to devote his whole life to the fight against the “curse of Sicily”, was sure that “the mafia has a beginning and an end”, and sought to get to its leaders. Falcone created something like an anti-mafia committee, the successes of which were so obvious that the committee was... dissolved by the authorities, dissatisfied with his authority and fame, and perhaps fearing exposure. Slandered and left alone, Falcone left Palermo, and in May 1992, together with his wife, fell victim to a terrorist attack. However, the murder of Giovanni Falcone and another judge who fought against the mafia, Paolo Borsellino, forced the Italian public to wake up. The mafia has largely lost its former popular support. The law of “omerta”, which surrounded the organization with a veil of silence, was violated, and many “peniti” (repented), i.e. defectors who abandoned mafia activities gave evidence, which made it possible to send dozens of important dons to jail. However, the old generation of gangsters, forced to retreat into the shadows, was replaced by a young one, ready to fight as to legitimate authorities, and to their predecessors...
So, the fight against organized crime, which was waged with varying degrees of success throughout the 20th century, continues to this day. The mafia sometimes “changes its skin”, while always maintaining its essence as a criminal terrorist organization. She is invulnerable until official institutions the authorities remain ineffective, and officials remain corrupt and selfish. In fact, the mafia is an exaggerated reflection of the vices of the entire society, and until society finds the courage to fight its own vices, the mafia can still be called immortal.
The term “Mafia” is perceived by many people as banditry, lawlessness and big money. But few people know about how the real mafia appeared and what principles and unspoken laws influenced its formation, because being a criminal does not mean being in the ranks of the mafia.
The indigenous mafia originated in Sicily in the middle of the last century. The economic crisis became the reason for the formation of gangster groups that actively influenced the areas of activity of many entrepreneurs, politicians and ordinary citizens.
Clans, which was the name given to individual gangs controlled by one boss, were firmly rooted in Sicily. They communicated closely with the local population, even helped resolve conflict disputes, troubles and problems, and residents of the areas became accustomed to being in the vicinity of organized crime.
Why did the Sicilian mafia become so ingrained in everyday life and become the norm?
If we take into account the formation of large gangster groups in other countries and Italy, then the latter had its own unspoken code of honor called “Cosa Nostra”. It was this set of commandments, according to many historians, that made the mafia of Sicily quite strong, powerful and united.
Cosa Nostra is considered the bible of the criminal world; the police of those times knew about its existence, but they were able to see it with their own eyes only in 2007, when the then boss Salvador Lo Piccolo was arrested. The text of the commandments became known to the masses and then the real strength mafia.
The mafia is an unspoken family that is not necessarily bound by blood ties, but responsibility to other clan membershuge. 
Mafiosi were obliged to treat their wives with respect, under no circumstances cheat on them, and not even look at the wives of their “colleagues.”
It was also prohibited to appropriate common money that belonged to one or some members of the gang. Mafiosi protected themselves from publicity; they were prohibited from visiting clubs and bars. The right to join a family was considered a separate point; successors could not be related to the police by any relationship (even distant) and they were obliged to be faithful to their spouses.
The clear commandments of the mafia evoked respect from civilians; every young man from certain strata of society dreamed of joining the ranks of Cosa Nostra. Imaginary romance, respect, the desire to earn money and gain recognition in this life dragged young people into the lava of criminals associated with drugs, murder, and prostitution.
Clear regulations are followed in Sicily and throughout Italy today, which is why it was Cosa Nostra that made the clans so strong that the police were unable to completely eradicate them for a century and a half.
How is Cosa Nostra doing today?
At the beginning of the 21st century, the authorities began to eradicate criminal clans with special zeal. Many members of criminal gangs could only flee to the United States and countries neighboring Italy. Such actions by the authorities significantly undermined the influence of the mafia, but did not completely overcome it. Since 2000, the police have regularly arrested leaders, successors, and advisers of clans, such as Dominico Rachuglia, Salvadore Russo and Carmine Russo, the Pasquale brothers, and Salvadore Coluccio. But according to "omerta" - the code of conduct and hierarchy of the Sicilian mafia, after one don is removed, his place is taken by a successor or someone chosen by the clan. 
In addition, the clan war in the 80s undermined its own authority and cohesion, when the clans launched real military operations against each other, dividing spheres of influence. Then many innocent people suffered and this embittered the local population against the mafia.
Due to the large migration of influential mafia members abroad, Cosa Nostra began to form in other countries, but under modified names. The Camorra was formed in Naples, the 'Ndrangheta in Calabria, and the Sacra Corona Unita in Apulia.
The fight against the mafia throughout Italy has led to the fact that instead of one boss, families are now managed by about 7 people. The tense situation with the authorities forces gang leaders to be cautious and rarely meet with each other to determine further strategies of behavior and development.
But if Cosa Nostra is forced to go underground in order to manage the drug business, gambling, construction, prostitution and racketeering, then the directions of Sacra Corona Unita and 'Ndrangheta are actively developing. These gangs, compared to Cosa Nostra, are considered young and are trying to survive and adapt to the current conditions, which are not easy for organized crime.
However, no matter how the lawyers and authorities fight the mafia, so far it actively controls almost 10% of the country’s economy. The police alone counted about 5 billion euros in confiscated valuables and money from mafiosi last year.
Although the mafia in Italy continues to be revived and active, life for the general population has become quieter compared to the last century, which suggests that crime families have become more cautious and restrained.
The Italian authorities still need to go through a difficult and possibly long journey to completely eradicate clans from the country, but this requires a lot of patience and cunning, namely the legislative framework should make life unbearable for the mafia and clans. This is the only way to overcome the already established traditions of the criminal world.
A little history of the mafia
Each business has its own development, and each development is determined by the people involved in this business, especially if it is “Our Business”. And the origins Italian mafia go back to the 9th century, when “Robin Hood” troops protected Sicilian peasants from the oppression and extortion of feudal lords, foreign raiders and pirates. The authorities did not help their poor, so they only called for help mafia and they also trusted in her. In return, a considerable bribe was paid, unspoken laws set forth by members of the “security” groups were carried out, but the poor were provided with guaranteed protection.
Why did crime families come to be called "mafia"
There are two versions origin of the word "mafia". According to the first, under the influence of the Arab flair (either military or trade relations Sicily with representatives Arab countries), the root of the word means “shelter”, “protection”. According to the second version, suffering Sicily foreign invaders trampled far and wide and in 1282 an uprising took place, the motto of which became: “Death to France! Breathe, Italy!” (Morte alla Francia Italia Anelia). Anyway, mafia- a native Sicilian phenomenon, and identical criminal groups in other parts of Italy and the world were called differently, for example, “Ndraghetta” in Calabria, “Sacra Corona Unita” in Apulia, “Camorra” in Naples. But, “mafia” these days, like “jacuzzi”, “jeep” and “copier”, has become common nouns, so any criminal organization is called it.
How the mafia got into power
As an organization, the mafia crystallized only in the 19th century, when the peasants, who did not want to submit to the exploitative Bourbon regime that was ruling at that time, “blessed” mafia for political exploits. Thus, in 1861, the mafia officially assumed the status of the ruling force. Having made their way into the Italian parliament, they got a chance to influence the formation of the country's political and economic course, and the mafiosi themselves transformed into the so-called aristocracy.
Beginning in the 20th century, members of criminal organizations began to promote “their senators” to parliament and secretaries to city councils, for which they generously thanked them. The carefree “swimming in money” might have continued further if the fascists had not come to power. Head of Italy Benito Mussolini
couldn't stand it mafia in power, and indiscriminately began to imprison thousands. The dictator's harshness naturally bore fruit, Italian mafiosi lay to the bottom. 
In the 50-60s, the mafia regained its courage, and the Italian government had to begin an official fight against crime, creating a special body, the Antimafia.
And the mafiosi dressed in expensive suits of businessmen, building their working on the iceberg principle, where the official sporting goods network could be involved in the underground trade in drugs or weapons, prostitution, and “protection” for other businesses. But nothing has changed these days; this is still happening in some areas of Italy. Over time, some “businessmen” seriously developed their restaurant and hotel business and food production.
In the 80s, a brutal, bloody struggle began between criminal clans, where such people died great amount people that the majority of survivors prefer to work only in the field of legal business, maintaining omerta, “mutual responsibility”, and other signs of a valid mafia organization.
But the mafia has not left the scene to this day. In the south of Italy, 80% of companies pay bribes to their “roof”, just as it is impossible to open your own business without enlisting the support of local authorities. Carrying out “cleansing” operations, the Italian government regularly sends city, regional and national officials accused of collaborating with the mafia to prison from key positions.
How Italian mafiosi moved to America
Since 1872, as a result of extreme impoverishment, Sicilians, in search of better life, armies emigrated to America. And, lo and behold, the introduced “prohibition” worked to their advantage. They began selling illegal alcoholic beverages, having accumulated capital, they bought up enterprises in other fields of activity. Yes, for short term, the money turnover of Sicilians in America began to exceed the turnover of the largest American corporations. The American mafia, originating from Sicily, is called "Cosa Nostra", which means "Our business". This name is also given to those who returned from America to their homeland. Sicilian crime family.
Structure of the Italian mafia
Boss or godfather- the head of a family, a criminal clan. Information flows to him about all the affairs of his family and the plans of his enemies, and he is elected by voting.
Henchman or underboss- the first assistant to the boss or godfather. Appointed solely by the boss himself and is responsible for the actions of all caporegime.
Consigliere- the chief adviser of the clan, whom the boss completely trusts.
Caporegime or capo- the head of a “team” that works in a separate area controlled by a family-clan.
Soldier- a junior member of the clan who was recently “introduced” into the mafia. Soldiers are formed into teams of up to 10 people, led by capos.
Partner in crime- a person who has a certain status in mafia circles, but is not yet considered a family member. It can act, for example, as an intermediary in the sale of drugs.
Laws and traditions respected by the mafiosi
In 2007, the famous godfather Salvadore Lo Piccolo was arrested and found in possession of "Ten Commandments of Cosa Nostra", where the traditions and laws of the members of the mafiz clan are described.
Ten Commandments of Cosa Nostra
Each group “works” in a certain territory and other families do not interfere with their participation.
Beginner initiation ritual: they wound the finger and pour its blood on the icon. He takes the icon in his hand and they set it on fire. The beginner must endure the pain until the icon burns. At the same time, he says: “Let my flesh burn, like this saint, if I break the laws of the mafia.”
The family cannot include: police officers and those who have police officers among their relatives.
Family members respect their wives, do not cheat on them, and never look at the wives of their friends.
Omerta- mutual responsibility of all clan members. Joining the organization is for life, no one can leave the business. At the same time, the organization is responsible for each of its members; if someone has offended him, she and only she will administer justice.
For an insult, the offender must be killed.
Death of a family member- an insult that is washed away with blood. Bloody revenge for a loved one is called “vendetta.”
The kiss of death- a special signal given by mafia bosses or capos and meaning that this family member has become a traitor and must be killed.
Code of Silence- prohibition on disclosing the secrets of the organization.
Betrayal is punishable by the murder of the traitor and all his relatives.
Thinking about this topic, I come to the following conclusions:
Despite the countless treasures obtained, only poor people from the Italian southern coast dream of such a career development. After all, with a simple calculation, it turns out that it is not so profitable: members of a criminal group have to calculate the costs of protecting themselves and their families, paying bribes, constant confiscation of goods, and this at constant risk to their lives and all family members. For many decades, the whole secret mafia society system. Is it really worth it?
Svetlana Conobella, from Italy with love. 
About konobella
Svetlana Konobella, writer, publicist and sommelier of the Italian Association (Associazione Italiana Sommelier). Cultivist and implementer of various ideas. What inspires: 1. Everything that goes beyond generally accepted ideas, but honoring traditions is not alien to me. 2. A moment of unity with the object of attention, for example, with the roar of a waterfall, a sunrise in the mountains, a glass of unique wine on the shore of a mountain lake, a fire burning in the forest, a starry sky. Who inspires: Those who create their own world, full of bright colors, emotions and impressions. I live in Italy and love its rules, style, traditions, as well as know-how, but the Motherland and compatriots are forever in my heart. Editor of the portal www..Modern pop culture has turned the mafia almost into the main brand of Sicily. Today the situation has changed significantly: in Sicily you are unlikely to see mafiosi similar to the characters " Godfather“, but nevertheless, the mafia still exists in Sicily. This is one of the reasons why Sicily remains one of the poorest regions in Italy. Many hotels, restaurants and shops in Sicily are forced to pay the mafia pizzo - the so-called security and patronage fee, which negatively affects their revenue and interferes with further development business. But some brave people are fighting this phenomenon.
How can such a phenomenon as the mafia continue to exist in our time? This complex issue, but primarily this is due social factors, such as the unemployment rate, lack of trust in the authorities on the part of residents, and uncertainty in law enforcement agencies. The mentality of Italians, who are accustomed to being suspicious of social services and innovations.
According to some estimates, in Palermo, the capital of Sicily alone, more than 80% of small businesses are forced to pay the mafia. It is believed that the southern cities of Italy alone bring in more than 20 billion euros a year to the mafia. But the mafia in its current state continues to pose a danger more to the Sicilians themselves than to tourists, who should primarily beware of pickpockets, rather than local mafiosi.
What dangers can await tourists in Sicily?
Overall, modern Sicily is quite safe place for travelers. The same precautions must be taken here as in other European cities. If you are in a crowd of people, keep a close eye on your bag and valuables. Do not leave bags, phones, cameras and other things unattended.
The biggest danger in Sicily is not even street thieves, but drivers. In Sicily, especially in Palermo, there is only one rule: traffic: The fastest survives. Drivers are reluctant to give way to pedestrians, even at crosswalks. However, if you are planning a trip to small towns and villages, you will be concerned about another problem: the poor quality of roads or their absence. However, between major cities Modern highways have been built and there is nothing to be afraid of.
You should also be especially vigilant when shopping at markets or small private stores. Always check prices and count your change carefully. And don’t take such cases too seriously: in Sicily they make money not only from tourists, but also from local residents.
When communicating with Sicilians, try not to use the word "mafia", especially in in public places. You are a guest in Sicily, the problems of organized crime do not concern you, so there is no reason to raise this issue. For many residents of Sicily, this is a sensitive topic that they are not ready to discuss with strangers.
Although the streets of Sicily are generally safe, we advise women traveling unaccompanied not to go out after dark. In Sicily, it is not customary for a woman to walk alone at night; this immediately attracts attention. Local women go out at such times only if accompanied by a man, and foreign travelers should also follow their example.
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