Giuseppe Morabito

Giuseppe Morabito (Africo, August 15, 1934), nicknamed 'u tiradrittu' ("shootstraight"), is a historical 'Ndrangheta boss from Africo in the Locride (Calabria). He was a fugitive since 1992 and included in the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy until his arrest in February 2004.

Biography

Important 'Ndrangheta boss

Morabito is one of the most important figures of the 'Ndrangheta. He is described as one of the senior members of the Calabrian "provincial commission",it icon [http://www.fondazionecesar.it/uploads/tx_useregidoc/Ndrangheta.pdf 'Ndrangheta 2005] , Nisio Palmieri, Dossier della Fondazione Cesar e dell’Associazione Sicurstrada per conto della Consulta Nazionale dei Consigli Regionali Unipol Assicurazioni] i.e. the body that reproduces the well-known Sicilian Mafia Commission and, during the second 'Ndrangheta war in Calabria, allegedly chaired the meetings, that were held annually at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi and, later, at Africo. [http://www.interno.it/dip_ps/dia/eng/2sem00.htm Activity carried out and the results gathered during the period June – December 2000] by the Direzione Investigativa Antimafia]

When he was arrested in February 2004, Roberto Centaro – the president of the Parliamentary Antimafia Commission – said the capture was even more important than that of Sicilian Mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3500691.stm Calabrian mafia leader arrested] , BBC News, February 18, 2004] According to several pentiti Sicilian Mafia boss Totò Riina was sheltered by Morabito, while Riina was on the run.it icon [http://infounime.unime.it/uni/rstampa_04/giornali/gazzetta_del_sud/feb_04/gio_19/diffido.htm Diffidò il capo della Polizia Parisi a investigare su di lui] , Gazzetta del Sud, February 19, 2004] it icon [http://espresso.repubblica.it/dettaglio-archivio/1148941 Killer nero e boss in camice bianco] , L’Espresso, October 27, 2005] According to the special Antimafia police – the Direzione Investigativa Antimafia (DIA) – his influence within the 'Ndrangheta appears to be quite similar as Provenzano's influence within the Sicilian Cosa Nostra.

Early years

His first troubles with the criminal justice system were in 1952 for illegally occupying and damaging a building, unlawful possession of arms and violence against persons. In 1967 he was accused of being the principal behind the Locri massacre in which three members of a rival clan were killed, but was acquitted for lack of evidence in 1971. At the end of the 1980s, Morabito became the head of the 'Ndrangheta "locale" of Africo after the so-called Motticella feud between the Morabito-Mollica clan and the Speranza-Palamara-Scriva clan, all from Africo. In 1989, he challenged the chief of the national police Vincenzo Parisi to investigate, declaring he was innocent. An official brought the notice to Parisi while he visited the court in Locri in the midst of a meeting about an emergency of kidnappings in Calabria. Morabito became a fugitive in 1992 after an indictment for drug trafficking.

'Ndrangheta cell in Sicily

The Morabito clan established a 'Ndrangheta cell in Messina on Sicily - across the Strait of Messina opposite Calabria. Up to the late 1970s, criminal gangs in Messina were under the influence of the 'Ndrangheta.Paoli, "Mafia Brotherhoods", p. 27] Only later, the Sicilian Cosa Nostra established an organisation of its own in Messina and its province by including the local Calabrian Mafia-type structure. The whole process took place without any conflict and there is reason to believe that the Mafia infiltration in the Messina area took place after agreements made between the leaders of the two organisations.

The Morabito's exercise considerable power in Messina up to the present. The clan turned the University of Messina into their private fiefdom, ordering that degrees, academic posts and influence be awarded to favoured associates. Friends or relatives of politicians were the beneficiaries whom the clan wished to cultivate. Before a police crackdown in June 2001, two professors had been kneecapped by unknown assailants, four bombs exploded in university buildings and the cars of several academics were set on fire. Lecturers were threatened before examinations by students claiming mafia-type backing. [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/1371355/Crackdown-at-univeristy-run-by-Mafia-for-25-years.html Crackdown at univeristy run by Mafia for 25 years] , Daily Telegraph, June 19, 2001]

Drug trafficking

Morabito put together a joint venture of 'Ndrangheta clans, among which the Barbaro family from Platì, the Pelle family from San Luca, but also the Pisano-Pesce-Bellocco clan from Rosarno, on the Tyrrhenian coast of Calabria. Connections between the Morabito clan and Mafiosi of the Catania area were established during criminal investigations concerning drug trafficking. Connections with the Mafia in Mazara del Vallo in the province of Trapani headed by Mariano Agate were used to import hashish from Morocco and cocaine from Latin America.

Between 1996 and 1997 the "new Balkan mafias" began to play a "dominant role" in the importing of heroin and arms trafficking, to the extent that they started supplying the 'Ndrangheta gang run by Morabito with drugs. The network, including Agim Gashi and Ismet Dedinca, enjoyed the discreet support of Italian intelligence (with which the Morabito clan as in contact) and the direct involvement of politicians (such as Ritvan Peshkepia), who enjoyed diplomatic immunity. [http://bbsnews.net/research/ogd99_4en.pdf The World Geopolitics of Drugs 1998-1999] , Observatoire Géopolitique de Drogues (OGD), April 2000] [http://www.nisat.org/blackmarket/europe/Western%20Europe/italy/99.05.01-Kosovars%20Admit%20to%20Trafficking%20in%20Arms-%20Drugs.html Milan: Kosovars Admit to Trafficking in Arms, Drugs] , Corriere della Sera, May 1, 1999] Between ethnic collusion and mafia collusion: the “Balkan Route” to state-making, by Francesco Strazzari, in Jung, "Shadow Globalization, Ethnic Conflicts and New Wars", p. 146]

The Morabito-Bruzzaniti-Palamara cosca from Africo is heavily involved in cocaine trafficking through contacts in Venezuela, Colombia and Argentina.it icon [http://espresso.repubblica.it/dettaglio/Boss-alla-milanese/1925487 Boss alla milanese] , L’Espresso, December 27, 2007] Tiradrittu’s grandson, Salvatore Morabito, looked after the interests of the clan in the north of Italy. He was arrested in Milan on May 3, 2007, along with 19 others. The police seized 250kg of cocaine, smuggled through the fruit and vegetable wholesale market (Ortomercato) that is under control of the 'Ndrangheta. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1750008.ece Mafiosi move north to take over the shops and cafés of Milan] , The Times, May 5, 2007] it icon [http://www.corriere.it/vivimilano/cronache/articoli/2007/05_Maggio/03/ortomercato.shtml Night club della 'ndrangheta all'Ortomercato] , Corriere della Sera, May 4, 2007] Salvatore Morabito used to arrive on the market in his Ferrari. it icon [http://www.camera.it/_dati/leg15/lavori/documentiparlamentari/indiceetesti/023/005/INTERO.pdf Relazione annuale sulla 'ndrangheta] , Commissione parlamentare di inchiesta sul fenomeno della criminalità organizzata mafiosa o similare (Relatore: Francesco Forgione), February 2008]

Arrest

On February 18, 2004, Morabito was arrested along with his son-in-law, Giuseppe Pansera, another fugitive. He was armed but did not resist the police. "Treat me well," he reportedly told officers. He had been at large for 12 years, on suspicion of running an international drug smuggling ring.it icon [http://www.repubblica.it/2004/b/sezioni/cronaca/morabito/morabito/morabito.html Colpo al cuore della 'ndrangheta, arrestato il boss Morabito] , La Repubblica, February 18, 2004] However, many of his relatives are still free and continue to operate thanks to the prestige of Tiradrittu.

Giuseppe Sculli, a former Juventus and Italy Under-21 player, is the grandson of Morabito. He is accused of match-fixing when he played for F.C. Crotone against his current club F.C. Messina at the last match-day of the 2001-02 Serie B. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2005/nov/22/europeanfootball.sport1 At one Italian club, the most significant shots are fired at the president's car] , The Guardian, November 22, 2005]

References

*Jung, Dietrich (ed.) (2003). " [http://books.google.nl/books?id=301TXf5POxoC&dq Shadow Globalization, Ethnic Conflicts and New Wars: A Political Economy of Intra-State War] ", London: Routledge ISBN 0-415-28203-9
*Paoli, Letizia (2003). "Mafia Brotherhoods: Organized Crime, Italian Style", New York: Oxford University Press ISBN 0-19-515724-9 ( [http://www.organized-crime.de/revpao01mafiandrangheta.htm Review] )

External links

*it icon [http://www.antimafiaduemila.com/content/view/6924/ La primula rossa della ‘Ndrangheta. Storia di Giuseppe Morabito uno dei più potenti capi della mafia calabrese] , by Giorgio Bongiovanni and Monica Centofante, Antimafia Duemila.