Posted by HELLAS on March 05, 2001 at 04:28:34:
Every ethnic group/country has it's own 'mafia'. The term 'mafia' just means organized crime. The movies have gorified the 'mafia'. Simply put, some organized criime groups (ie, Italians) have been known to work like a 'club' if you will, with a structured chain of command and their own intricate 'customs'. The fact that maybe Greek organized crime doesn't operate as such doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. It does. I'm sure that for every singe ethnic group, there are people who band together to 'pool resources' so they may commit crimes or engage in illegal things to make them money. Thus, there is a 'mafia' for every group.
Now, is there a Greek organized crime group in the U.S or Canada? I'm sure there is. Will it get publicity like the Italian Cosa Nostra, or the Chinese Triads? Probably not. But, it's there. I know that it isn't as organized, powerful, rich, or intricate in their 'customs' as the Italians, but, it's there.