The Mafia in Italy and Germany – Differences and Similarities

“We must not make the mistake of regarding the criminal organizations of the Mafia as a problem within Italy, because national borders have now become obsolete”, said Giuseppe Lombardo. He is an anti-Mafia prosecutor in the Italian city of Reggio Calabria. According to Lombardo, this region is home to “the heart and mind” of the 'Ndrangheta. But the sphere of influence of the most powerful mafia organization now extends across the globe.

A survey published only last week by the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and the state criminal police offices found the presence of a total of 933 alleged members of “Italian organized crime” permanently living in Germany. This is how security authorities refer to the Italian mafia. German authorities estimate that the 'Ndrangheta is the largest mafia organization in this country, with 503 members. The fact that the 'Ndrangheta probably maintains its only European control body outside of Italy in Germany, the Crimine di Germania, also shows how important Germany is.

“I will tell you right away that the 'Ndrangheta is no longer just a mafia-like criminal organization”, said Lombardo at an anti-mafia conference held by the Green Party in the Bundestag. Lombardo's anti-mafia district directorate plays a very special role in the Italian system and is the judicial authority responsible for the worldwide activities of the criminal organization.

The 'Ndrangheta is rather the center of a very broad criminal system that no longer operates only in Calabria. “We have heard the figures mentioned earlier about the presence of the Italian mafia in Germany. In our opinion, these are figures that are extremely lower than the actual number”, said Lombardo. In doing so, he quite clearly contradicts German statistics. According to Lombardo, the Eurispes research institute estimates that the annual business volume of mafia-like organizations in Italy amounts to 220 billion euros. Of this, seven out of ten euros are accounted for by the 'Ndrangheta.

As Markus Koths said, these international networks must be countered with police networks. The BKA department head for serious and organized crime knows that the mafia sees Germany not only as a place to rest, but also as a place for investment and action. For example, in drug trafficking, but also in legal sectors such as gastronomy, in order to launder criminal profits. “We have to assume that there is a large number of unreported cases“, said Koths. “Research into unreported cases would certainly be indicated here.”

The typical mafioso in a black suit and patent leather shoes, as we know him from films, has not existed for years – especially not at the highest levels. “That's why it's particularly difficult to recognize the phenomenon”, said Lombardo. The idea that each group is out for itself is also outdated. Rather, a “macromafia” has formed in which individual groups become part of a much larger operational organization and each has a precise role in operating on all continents.

How do the Italian authorities proceed? The most important thing is to have the ability and the strength to never lose sight of them. “For us, technically speaking, belonging to a mafia-like organization in Italy means committing a permanent crime”, said Lombardo. This means that the investigations must also be permanent in order to be able to react legally.

In addition, the investigators are taking a systematic, yet rather simple approach. “To understand whether the 'Ndrangheta is present in this area or in other areas of the world, we have to examine the so-called anomaly indicators”, said Lombardo. These indicators of mafia activity show unusual phenomena in certain areas, such as an excessive amount of cash of unclear origin. “Believe me, in 70 to 80 percent of cases, these anomalies are indicators of mafiosità. This means that if we start deeper investigations, we will uncover the system and with it the 'Ndrangheta.”

Meanwhile, Lombardo said, the groups are no longer interested in getting richer and richer. They are much more interested in power. Power to change the logic of the market or influence political decisions. At the same time, however, they can no longer invest in poorer regions where large sums of money would immediately attract attention. “So the criminal system has not been investing in these areas for years, not in Italy, but elsewhere.”

They know that wealth, especially if it is of illegal origin, must be invested where it cannot be seen. That is why the 'Ndrangheta went to northern Italy, to Lombardy, 50 years ago. There, in Italy's financial center of Milan, it has always spread. “Today I ask myself and you which is the Lombardy of Europe”, said Lombardo. As far as the Italian authorities can tell, it is the heart of Europe – and thus also Germany – that the groups are particularly targeting.

What is Germany doing to counteract this? “We have set up a special unit for digital financial investigations, we have strengthened our anti-money laundering efforts and, of course, this must happen across the board”, said Koths from the BKA. In addition, cryptocurrencies must be given more attention. A central real estate registry is also needed, and the transparency registry must be further developed. Koths also advocated minimum storage periods and specialized public prosecutors' offices, as in Italy.

(Based on a report in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”)