One of the most uncontested truth in history is that there is no bigger “file” of that of violence and corruption. Actually, organized crime represents such an old phenomenon that can be tracked from the first human society and to the appearance of the first civilizations. It’s practically, the history of the dark work, that developed itself in the middle of people, secretly, who’s tracks can only be tracked through the thousands of bodies and bloody hits throughout the history.
The beginning of organized crime
There are no written mentions of organized crime in the Sumer, from 6000 years ago, the first civilization known to man, although organized crime probably existed since then. The code of Hammurabi, the first law code ever edited, makes us understand that such crimes were very real 4000 years ago. And we also have to say that the first forms or organized crime ever documented start in Ancient Egypt.
Code of Hammurabi
When the tomb of Tutankhamon was revealed, in 1922, the world was amazed of seeing the fortune that was hid in the royal crypt. Howard Carter needed years to catalog everything that was discovered. But Totankhamon was small time, mysteriously dieing at only 18 years old. This was also probably the reason why his tomb went unnoticed by tomb raiders. However, no other royal tomb in history was found intact, which can only light up the imagination of people trying to understand the value of the treasures that were buried with them.
Tomb profanation does not fit in the pattern of organized crime, you might say. Well you are right. However, what is interesting is a tale that originates from the period of Ramses the 9th. The document has the name of Abbot Papyrus and hosts thte story of the great Khaemuaset and the two administrators the commanded, Paser and Paur, regarding the capture of a group or tomb raiders. In that period, no less than 10 royal tombs were emptied. The action seamed to be inspired by a cop movie, as long as the authorities from that time used to secretly track the movements of that gang of tomb raiders, managing to capture 8 of them. And more interesting is the testimony of one of the accused. He confessed, probably under torture, that the entire group and organized and guided by a city official, a character that for sure had exact information regarding the quantity of artifacts that were placed in tombs.
The Tomb of Tutankamon
Another group, probably better organized, is the one of the priests. Under the pretext of moving the treasures to much safer places, they “lost” a big part of them. As it was expected, some well organized groups did all the work, leaving the priests outside any suspicion. Some researchers think that a certain Herihor might shed some light in the case of this mystery. Herihor was a high ranking official during the period of Ramses XI. At his death, Herihor took over the throne sharing the kingdom with his son in law, Piankh. Herihor made himself responsible with the procedures of burring kings in the Valley of Kings, having the possibility of robbing most royal tombs. The tomb of Herihor was never discovered, but specialists think that when this tomb is found, some of the lost treasures of Egypt will see the light of day again.
In Greece and Ancient Rome, the phenomenon is also popular. Not few were the times in which trafficking food, slaves or luxury items made these two nations face some serious economical problems. Since then, organized crime was infiltrated in the highest ranks of power and the phenomenon had been identified at any social level.
Organized Crime, short history of a global phenomenon
Sicily
Organized crime, especially The Mob, was forever associated with the South of Italy. The first mention of an organized crime, in the classical term of the world, was made in the 9th century, in Sicily. History places this phenomenon 200 years later, in the same place. Actually, Sicily, was a colony exploited by Greeks, Romans, Arabs, German, French, Spanish and especially by the Inquisition. Sicily has became the place where organized crime bloomed. “Vendetta” – the revenge and the mob were the few weapons at hand of those without defense in a world where justice was very conditioned.
Although most of the times, the only option of the oppressed was to run in the mountains and join armed gangs. Around a century and a half ago, the authorities have decided to creation of the first police group, named the Armed Companies, so they can deal with the attacks of the local gangs. What is certain is that the choice of the authorities was very uninspired. Most of these law representatives were criminals, death row convicts and other types of misfits that were given a second chance.
The term of “The Mob” of the Sicilian organization, is today as filled with controversy as it was when the phenomenon has begun. Some researchers think that the origin if this word comes from the Arabic expression Moha’Fat – protection, immunity, privilege, or from the world Mahias, which seams ego, arrogance. Other historians believe that The Mob is short from ” Morte ai francesi Italia anela”.
Look as ” the good mob” that comes in the help of the oppressed, the organization of mob organizations from Sicily, radically change since the beginning of the 18th century. EVerything starts with the recruitment by local barons of the guards and armed supervisors. The Mob, built from “Gabelloti” intermediaries between farmers and nobles, end up by treating themselves from positions with force, with each other. This is actually stated by the italian journalist Michele Pantaleone in his book ” Mob and politics” : A rude justice, imposed by terror, not from respect for the law but from the desire to avoid at any cost the public power to intervene in their business. The Mob managed to impose itself as a referee and pacifier and as the executive of a very odd justice system”.
And if the Mob managed to survive many generators, if today is still powerful, this is because of the famous “law of silence” – Omerta. This “law” has became so general that it has become a motto for every mob group in the world.
Asia
During ancient times, and from similar causes, organized crime knows a powerful growth in Asia as well. In Japan, the fierce organization Yakuza has it’s origins very back in history, where samurais transform themselves into bandits helping the poor or trying to gain profit. Actually, even if their current structure, Yakuza keeps many aspects that started back in the day, by their behavior and rituals.
In China, current criminal groups find their origins around 300 years ago, under the form of some national revolutionary groups created with the purpose of removing the Ch’Ing dynasty from Mancuiria, and reclaiming the Ming dynasty back in power. The term of The Triads, by which these criminal groups are identified today, as used for the first time by the British to individualize the three fundamental forces of the Universe recognized by the members of these groups: Paradise, Earth and Man.
Russia is the last entry in the world of the black elite of organized crime, and yet specialists claim that the Russian Mob, has managed to get, in less than 20 years, global supremacy. It’s hard to estimate a top like this, but it’s sure that, with the fall of the communists and with the passing to the market economy, the immensity of the former URSS generated an amazing wave of criminal groups. From the old structures of the KGB and soviet authorities, and born in the siberian working camps, the russian mafia groups have rapidly overcome the Triads and Yakuza groups, even inside the areas of their influence. With an extreme violence, russian mobsters occupied the biggest part of the asian black market ( drug trafficking, people trafficking, etc ) rapidly moving to America, Africa, Australia and Europe.
United States of America
The land of opportunity for most of the immigrants in the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the United States of America proved to be, as it was expected, an ideal place for gangsters from the old country. Even if some ethnic groups ( Czechs, Greeks, English, Spanish, French, Romans, Ukrainians, Russians , or Chinese ) helped with the colonization of America, many members of the sicilian, irish and jewish communities have shown a permanent disbelief in the mottos that were saying ” the virtues of work” in industry. They remained on the same fighting positions the discriminated groups were talking.
The Irish “White Hand” gang represented the first form of organized crime on US soil. Created around 1860, they started their activity by exploiting poor irish people, then passing their influence in the italian community as well. As a response, in 1890, the Mano Nera is created – Black Hand, the first manifestation of the Sicilian Mafia in the United States. In the same time, The Purple Gang also is created, the mafia group of the jewish community. Between Irish and Italians start a real bloody war, finalized under the powerful influence of Al Capone, with the victory of the Italians. Regarding the Jewish, the Purple Gang went from one camp to another, ending in the symbiosis with the Italian-America mob, developed during prohibition.
And because we are talking about the beginnings of the Mafia in the United States, let’s also mention the first victim of the war against organized crime in the US. The first victim was the chief of police of New Orleans, in 1980, David Hennessey. He is the first one that uses for the first time the term Mafia on american soil, this after he got information from small italian traders. Very happy with the progresses he has made, he declares war against the Mafia, during an exciting public speech. A few days later, on October 15, 1890, David is found shot to death in front of his own home.
An interesting aspect is that the Italian-American Mafia structure represented a well kept secret, and authorities only identified it in 1962, when they found out that they are named Cosa Nostra, and that it was a conglomerate of mafia cells, based on a very well established hierarchy. More than 3 decades have passed since Lucky Luciano created this evil system, initially named The National Comission.
Frank Costello
Africa
Although relatively new, the Mafia in Africa was already in close connections with the Russians, Sicilians and Asian. On the Black Continent, the most influential mafia group seamed to be the one that originated in Nigeria.Flexible, with a very fast capacity to adapt itself and a very intense criminal initiative, the nigerian mafia ended up controlling the African Black Market. It’s in dependency with the violence in other countries has become obvious when authorities started to identify how this phenomenon has spread. So, criminal groups were using the same tribal dialects in their attempt to stop the infiltration of police officers in their ranks, the language used being of nigerian origin.
Central and South America
If in Italy the term of “mafia family” was well known, In Central and South America they gave it another name: The Cartel! Specialized in producing and selling strong drugs ( especially cocaine ), mexican, columbian, brazilian cartels are number 1 in the world regarding drug trafficking. As it was expected, the Italian American Mafia, the Sicilian, Chinese, and Japanese and of course the Russian Mafia could not miss out on getting their hands on the money from the drug market. So, in exchange for cocaine, the latin-american cartels got money or guns from all over the world. Also, the private armies of Drug Lords in these countries have became very famous, and they inspired a lot of books and successful movies.
Europe and Australia
The phenomenon of organized crime became to grow in Europe and Australia only after the mafia groups in Italy, USA and Asia begun to mature. Actually, in Europe and Australia the most powerful mafia groups are the already classical ones, the local groups, being most of the time, under the protection of them.
