The 'Ndrangheta (from a Greek word for heroism and virtue) is a mafia-like criminal organization in Calabria, Italy. It is not as sophisticated and has remained more rural compared to the NapolitanCamorra and the Apuliansacra corona unita. Though commonly lumped together with the Sicilian mafia, the 'Ndrangheta operate completely independently to the Sicilians, though there is contact between the two due to the geographical closeness of Calabria and Sicily. One group of 'ndranghetistas to have been discovered outside of Italy was in Ontario, Canada. They were dubbed the Siderno Group by Canadian judges as most of its members hailed from Siderno.
Though members of Italian organized crime are loosely referred to as mafiosos, a member of any 'ndrangheta clan is more specifically known as an 'ndrinu, and the clan itself an 'ndrina. In addition to having the advantage of blood ties, 'ndranghetistas blend well into their surroundings as they maintain humble outward appearances by not flaunting their wealth.
Power structure
Unlike most other mafia organisations, which have a pyramidal system of bosses, 'Ndrangheta groups are based on blood families. There are anywhere from 50 to 200 of these families, totalling about 6,000 members.
'Ndrangheta is based on real families of blood relationships or marriage and are usually named after their village or family leader.
Since 'nDrangheta has had a much lower profile in North America than the Italian American Cosa Nostra and the Sicilian Mafia, it is likely that there are cells in other cities.
The most important 'Ndranghetafamily is located in the city of Siderno.
According to the FBI, the 'Ndrangheta was formed in the 1860s by a band of Sicilians exiled from their native island - an explanation that could mean the organisation grew out of the original Mafia.
At all events, court documents in the latter part of the 19th century increasingly reflected the existence of organised gangs in and around the main centres of population, and in 1888 the prefect of Reggio Calabria received a letter from an anonymous informant alerting him to the presence of "a sect that fears nothing".
There are signs that the 'Ndrangheta shrewdly anticipated Berlusconi's fall and began to shift the votes it controls to the left.
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