'Ndrangheta (Calabrian mafia)
activetransnationalOrigin: Calabria, Italy — operations in Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Mexico, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany · founded 1860 · aka Italian Mafia, 'Ndrina
Notes
Globally dominant cocaine wholesale buyer. Operates ~150 'ndrine (family clans) with permanent envoys (brokers) embedded in Colombian and Ecuadorian port cities (Buenaventura, Guayaquil, Esmeraldas) negotiating directly with Clan del Golfo, ELN, and FARC dissidents. Italian DDA and Europol estimate 'Ndrangheta moves more cocaine than the Sicilian Mafia and Camorra combined.
Estimated strength
~6,000–10,000 made members worldwide; controls an estimated 70–80% of European cocaine wholesale.
Primary activities
cocaine wholesale (Europe-bound)money launderingEuropean port logistics