Mafia 'secret society' a threat to Australia, authorities warned

MAFIA SPECIAL, PART 3: Keith Moor examines the fight to break the Calabrian mafia's hold in Australia.

Mafia ?secret society? a threat to nation

THE nation's political leaders were warned in 1991 that the Italian secret society posed a significant threat to Australia.

That year, the Australian Bureau of Criminal Intelligence produced a comprehensive dossier on Italian organised crime in Australia.

The ABCI report was distributed to federal and state governments but - like every other report on the Calabrian mafia - it has never been made public.

PART ONE: How a powerful empire was exposed

PART TWO: The mob's Australian bosses revealed

The ABCI report, which has been seen by the Herald Sun, used the Calabrian term 'Ndrangheta to describe the dominant Italian organised crime (IOC) group in Australia.

It said while doubt had been cast in some quarters about the existence of 'Ndrangheta in Australia, its investigation proved otherwise.

The ABCI report said there were only rudimentary character checks on Italians coming into Australia during the immigration booms and this let many 'Ndrangheta members slip through.

''Senior Italian IOC experts in Australia in November 1990 confirmed the assessment of Australian police services about the nature of the local 'Ndrangheta and that it poses a significant criminal threat,'' the ABCI report said.

''They raised the possibility of other Italian secret societies also being present in Australia.

''IOC groups in Australian have corrupted public officials to protect and further their criminal interests. It would be naive to think that all such corruption has been detected. Indeed, there is evidence that some groups have gained access to police intelligence. The threat of corruption is a critical issue against which heightened vigilance is required.

''There is a continuing international debate about the true nature of Italian criminal secret societies.

''One view, popular several years ago, was that such organisations have never existed in the form in which they were generally portrayed, but were simply a state of mind.

''Italian authorities however have proven the opposite. It is now clear these organisations do exist and that they have significant influence on criminal activity in Italy and other countries.

''The groups impose strict codes of behaviour and internal discipline on their members and exploit the Italian regard for the importance of the family to the point where family honour is more important than any legislation."

The ABCI report said the bugging of an 'Ndrangheta meeting in Adelaide by the AFP and South Australia Police in 1989 was clear evidence of a massive criminal network.

"Moreover, a copy of the initiation ritual was located at premises of a person who attended the meeting," the ABCI report said.

Twenty men attended the meeting, including identities from Melbourne and Mildura. They were secretly taped discussing the Calabrian mafia's structure, its infiltration of police and possibly the judiciary, recruitment of new members, weapons purchases and cannabis production.

"Other cells in Adelaide were also discussed and mention was made of 'the law' being' aware that the organisation's members go to Mildura during July and August every year," the ABCI report said.

"They discussed the possibility of creating a fifth cell in South Australia 'with the help of some government friends'.

"During the meeting, a participant read extracts from an indoctrination ceremony. The words were similar to those contained in documents previously seized by the AFP and NCA and it is suspected the reading rehearsed a planned indoctrination ceremony.

"Mention was made of 'criminal intelligence' at the meeting. Translation difficulties caused some debate about the context in which this topic was raised. One view is the discussion at the meeting related to an individual with the 'Ndrangheta who is working in 'criminal intelligence', while the other view was the discussion concerned the development of better access to criminal intelligence by 'Ndrangheta.

"Whichever is the correct interpretation, it is clear the members of this cell were interested in their ability to penetrate the security of Australian law enforcement and as such have an intelligence capability."

The ABCI report also revealed a Calabrian-born man (who, for legal reasons, we will call Mr A) confessed to South Australian police before he was deported in 1971 that he was a member of the Calabrian mafia. He said he joined in Italy in 1960 and it was referred to by two names - L'Onorata Societa (The Honoured Society) and Mala Vita (Evil Life).

"Mr A said he later joined the cell in Adelaide in 1964 in a secret ceremony," the ABCI report said.

"Mr A said the Society in Adelaide was formed in the 1930s and named two of its founders. He also indicated the 'Ndrangheta existed in other states and he described certain overseas links.

"Mr An alleged that communications interstate were always by courier. The telephone was used only in emergencies and even then with veiled language."

The ABCI report named another Calabrian mafia member who broke the code of omerta to tell police more of the organisations secrets. We will call him Mr B.

He told the AFP in 1980 the Calabrian mafia had 160 members in Canberra and there were strong cells in Melbourne, Sydney and Mildura.

"Mr B said that a proportion of members' illegal earnings was forwarded to the regional and national executives and in turn to the 'Ndrangheta in Calabria," the ABCI report said.

"Mr B alleged that potential members are sought among teenagers in families connected to the organisation. If the adolescents do not take an interest in, or respond well to, their tasks, they are allowed to drop out without knowing they are being considered for membership of 'Ndrangheta."

The ABCI report took a swipe at the NCA, which had expressed doubt about the Calabrian mafia being involved in serious organised crime.

It cited evidence obtained by NSW police during Operation Strap 11 in March 1991. Strap 11 members secretly observed a number of Calabrian mafia meetings attended by prominent criminals, including a particularly big gathering in Sydney.

"It is considered that while the achievement of the AFP and South Australia Police in taping an 'Ndrangheta meeting is remarkable, this Sydney meeting is equally important to the understanding of IOC (Italian Organised Crime) in Australia," the ABCI report said.

"It is assessed as providing a clear example of a nexus between the operation of the criminal secret society "Ndrangheta and the direction of high level organised crime in Australia.

"While the NCA has doubted the nexus between 'Ndrangheta and organised criminal activity, this issue is now regarded as beyond reasonable doubt."

The ABCI report said family members were increasingly being employed in sensitive areas of government departments as part of the Calabrian mafia's stated aim of corrupting public officials to protect its operations.

"Alleged members, or their relatives, have achieved a high degree of influence with, and even infiltrated, federal and state government departments, the judiciary and various law enforcement bodies," it said.

Victoria Police detectives provided confirmation of Calabrian mafia figures corrupting public officials and infiltrating government departments.

They told the ABCI that supergrass Gianfranco Tizzoni had provided Victoria Police with details of the Calabrian mafia's corruption network in policing, politics and public office throughout Australia.

"Inquiries in recent years by the Victoria Police have identified the infiltration of an Australian government department," Victoria Police told the ABCI.

"Exposed were a number of corrupt officers in Melbourne and some serving officers known to be blood members of identified crime families.

"Victoria Police inquiries have also indicated that some serving and ex members of the Victoria Police have been corrupted by IOC (Italian Organised Crime).

"The Victoria Police is also aware of known blood relatives of crime family members employed in other public authorities."

Victoria Police identified its former Det-Sgt William Stephen Harris as having been corruptly involved with the Calabrian mafia for years.

Harris, a police veteran of 25 years standing, was 52 when he was jailed in 1987 for 14 years over an $8.5 million cannabis cargo. It was his job to ensure the cannabis, which was hidden in various artefacts, got through Customs at Tullamarine Airport. Harris's Victoria Police file claims he was due to receive $250,000 for his part in the foiled importation.

The AFP told the ABCI in 1991 that its intelligence holdings revealed the Calabrian mafia in Australia:

HAD a formal hierarchy with three levels of membership.

WAS composed of cells of members whose numbers reflected the size and population of their regions.

WAS controlled and directed by meetings of a national executive and regional chairmen.

HAD connections with, and may be responsible to the requirements of, the 'Ndrangheta in Italy and possibly other countries.

COLLECTED funds which were distributed to members defending criminal charges and to higher 'Ndrangheta authorities in Australia and probably Italy and the US.

CONTINUED to use the traditional 'Ndrangheta initiation rites for the induction of new members.

WHEN expedient, seemed to cooperate on an ad hoc and local basis with criminal groups not necessarily connected to Italian organised crime.

RELIED on families for the recruitment of members.

"The AFP assesses the 'Ndrangheta is involved in institutionalised corruption," the 1991 ABCI report said.

"It also has members who trade weapons and who may assist the 'Ndrangheta in Italy by laundering ransom monies in Australia. It is known to engage in extortion, illegal gambling, immigration offences and fraud against the Commonwealth."

The NCA submission to the ABCI in 1991 said its intelligence confirmed 'Ndrangheta members in Australia had access to law enforcement intelligence files through corrupt police.

"The 'Ndrangheta operates in Australia as a secret society with regular meetings, ranks or levels of membership and an archaic initiation ritual," the NCA told the ABCI.

"Membership of 'Ndrangheta is highly selective, being based upon Calabrian descent, family background and personal attributes.

"'Ndrangheta members adhere to a code of behaviour which encourages pursuit of profit through criminal activity, the taking of revenge over matters of personal or family honour and the use of violence in order to achieve personal goals."

The ABCI report revealed senior Italian organised crime experts who visited Australia in 1990 found clear evidence Australia had a significant 'Ndrangheta problem.

"The Italian IOC experts agreed that IOC groups in Australia do not strictly mirror IOC structures in Italy," the ABCI report said.

"This acknowledgment adds weight to the assessment that IOC groups in Australia have their own unique 'home grown' characteristics in addition to those inherited from Italy. One example of a local attribute is the ability of IOC groups to co-operate with other ethnic criminals and groups."

The ABCI report predicted the significant threat to Australian society posed by the Calabrian mafia would continue.

It warned Federal and State Governments not to get complacent about the secret society.

The ABCI report named 29 Calabrian mafia figures it considered were the most influential in Australia. Nine of them were from SA, eight each from Victoria and NSW, two from WA and one each from Queensland and the Northern Territory.

A Victoria Police report prepared for the ABCI in 1991 said management of Calabrian mafia families rested with the elders of blood families until such time as they abdicated in favour of the next most senior family member.

"Abdication does not occur until the elder is incapable, or nearly incapable, of maintaining hands-on supervision of family activities and appointment of the successor is then usually the consequence of expressed consent of that elder," the confidential Victoria Police report said. "It is generally seen that senior management of the Organisation comprises middle-aged male Italians. It is apparent however that, probably more out of respect, retired elders are kept appraised of Organisation activities and take the role of 'approving' proposed activities and 'counselling'.

"In order to perpetuate the code of silence, marriages between members of blood families are strongly encouraged. In all but the youngest married generation in Australia, there is a high incidence of marriage between cousins.

"Members of these blood families are reared amidst stories of the murderous exploits of relatives killing traitors to the blood family cause. There is therefore a high level of fear of betrayal of the blood family, or any associated blood family, instilled into every child of these families.

"It is this fear, not mythical, but not infrequently witnessed, which tends to ensure that otherwise honest family members follow in the criminal footsteps of their ancestors. There is regular witness to the consequences of betrayal in the murders of noncomplying blood family members.

"Ongoing evidence, intelligence and information shows that the Italian Criminal Organisation in Victoria is entrenched in organised criminal activities.

"The Organisation poses a real, substantial and increasing threat to the well-being of the Victorian community."

These days, Australia's various law enforcement agencies investigate Italian organised crime gangs when information comes in. But none are doing the kind of proactive work the BCIs in each state did in the 1980s and 1990s.

In those days, police put targets under surveillance and attended weddings and funerals, taking note of every person and car. They also put enormous effort into working out who was who and what they were up to.

Very little such work on the Italians has been done since the ABCI and the NCA last had a good hard look at the Calabrian mafia in the 1990s.

That prompted the NSW Crime Commission to warn in 2004 that Italian organised crime gangs were being neglected by law enforcement.

"Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit drug in Australia and accounts for more than half the nation's illegal drug trade expenditure," its 2003/04 annual report said.

"The cannabis market continues to be controlled by established criminal networks, predominantly Italian organised crime groups.

"Investigations have identified certain entrenched groups that operate in collaboration with other criminal groups at both state and national levels.

"The Italian organised crime network supporting the activities of these various groups has received relatively little law enforcement attention over the past decade, yet continues to generate substantial wealth from its contribution to illegal cannabis cultivation and distribution."

The NSW report is the last public admission that the Calabrian mafia is a dominant force in Australian crime - and that not enough is being done to counter it.

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