135
Perhaps the strongest allure of
organized crime is that the groups
provide a sense of kinship to
individuals estranged from their
families or otherwise alienated
f rom societ y.Underground activities
Some organized crime gangs have
been glamorized by the public,
especially groups operating in the
dim and distant past, such as
during the Prohibition in 1920s’
America. Fast-forward to the street
gangs of the 1980s and 1990s –
who wreaked havoc on many poor
communities with drive-by
shootings, burglaries, vehicle
thefts, and drug sales – and the
public’s attitude is less benign.
Sophisticated criminal groups
became adept at operating under
the radar and garnering publicsupport as benevolent outlaws.
Using both a populist platform and
his savvy political manoeuvring,
the “King of Cocaine” Pablo
Escobar even managed to win
election to Colombia’s Chamber
of Representatives.
The Yakuza and the Triads have
infiltrated white-collar positions all
over Asia, from the most powerful
corporations to the civil service and
judiciary. However, unlike Pablo
Escobar, who operated in the public
spotlight, these groups have been
successful precisely because of
their ability to work behind the
scenes, causing them to become
almost invisible.
Until the last quarter of the
20th century, the Sicilian Mafia
flourished by obscuring the fact
that they were a highly organized
criminal syndicate through thenotion that mainland Italy simply
did not understand the nuances
of Sicilian culture.
Hells Angels and other biker
clubs attempt to market themselves
as rowdy but ultimately harmless
throwbacks to an era of personal
freedom exemplified by groups
such as the Wild Bunch. In doing
so, these groups exploit a collective,
often misplaced nostalgia for a less
centralized world.
Mobsters often associated with
pop icons, such as crooner Frank
Sinatra and the American Mafia,
which helped to legitimize them.
After all, they could not be such
bad people, could they, if they
socialized with such respected
stars? For these organized crime
groups, who were attempting to
disguise what was actually going
on, the ruse worked. ■ORGANIZED CRIME
1972
The Krays and the
Richardsons – rival
gangs – rule the criminal
underworld in the East
End of London.In Los Angeles,
“Freeway” Rick Ross
creates a multimillion-
dollar market dealing
crack cocaine.The Hells Angels emerge
in San Bernadino, California,
and spread all over the world,
fighting rival gangs and
trafficking narcotics.The Medellín Cartel begins its
operations in Colombia and uses
extreme violence to monopolize
the cocaine trade and
undermine the government.In Japan, Kazuo Taoka
becomes the boss of the
Yamaguchi-gumi Yakuza
crime syndicate and
becomes known as the
“godfather of godfathers”.1946
1948
1960 s 1980–95
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