Australian figures linked to Calabrian Mafia revealed; experts warn more police focus needed on organised crime
Updated 4 minutes ago
Australian authorities cannot afford to let their focus on terrorism allow them to become complacent about the reach of the Calabrian Mafia, organised crime experts have warned.
A joint Fairfax/ABC investigation into the Calabrian Mafia has further exposed the influence of the group across Australia and will air tonight on ABC.
It found policing authorities have failed to dismantle a "board of directors" of Calabrian Mafia heads across Australia, which has allowed them to continue illicit drug trades, form links with bikie groups, and infiltrate all levels of government.
It has prompted anti-mafia prosecutor Nicola Gratteri to warn that while police around the world focus on terrorism, the tentacles of the Calabrian Mafia could be going unchecked.
"When social alarm is provoked over terrorism, governments are forced to invest in terrorism and not in mafia ... the mafia celebrates because they know there are fewer resources," Dr Gratteri said.
"I think Australia should look at the mafia problem, the 'Ndrangheta problem, again and not measure the presence or the strength of 'Ndrangheta or any mafia by the number of people killed on the street or shootings at shop windows."
Instead, Dr Gratteri said authorities should examine the supply and control of cocaine being sold at bars, pubs and clubs.
Media player: "Space" to play, "M" to mute, "left" and "right" to seek.
"Because whoever controls the cocaine, with those earnings they buy all the property for sale. In that way they control the market, they control the economy," he said.
His view is backed by Australian experts past and present who have investigated the mafia dealings.
In the second of a two-part Four Corners series, investigative journalist Nick McKenzie examines the link between a number of Australian politicians, from local to federal government, and alleged Australian Calabrian Mafia figures.
Among them is a former mayor of an area in Perth and a Labor Party figure from Melbourne.
New South Wales police files also reveal the Calabrian Mafia has built close ties to outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs), including the Rebels and Bandidos.
"This is particularly evident with identified connections to the Sydney and North Coast Bandidos OMCG and the Canberra and Batemans Bay Rebels OMCG. There is also intelligence of links to the Finks OMCG through associates," the files state.
Victorian Labor party delegate had close ties to Mafia
The ABC has evidence Victorian Labor Party delegate Michael Teti, who is now an ALP councillor at Moreland City Council in Melbourne, spent months doing banking for and running the fruit business of convicted crime boss Frank Madafferi.
While there is no suggestion Mr Teti was involved in drug trafficking, he allegedly supplied a gun to one of Madafferi's mafia henchmen which was then used to threaten a woman.
Mr Teti was later found guilty of carrying a loaded gun in a public place and placed on a good behaviour bond.
Documents obtained show that Mr Teti acted as an adviser and gofer for Madafferi while the mafia boss was facing serious drug trafficking charges.
Madafferi was convicted over the world's largest ever drug bust in 2007, when authorities seized four tonnes of ecstasy tablets imported in tomato cans.
During this period, Mr Teti also secured one of Madafferi's associates a job in federal Labor senator Mehmet Tillem's office.
There is no suggestion Mr Tillem, who is no longer a senator, knew Mr Teti or that his now former employee had close ties to Madafferi.
In March, despite knowledge within the Labor Party of Mr Teti's ties to a crime figure, the ALP invited him as a delegate to the party's state conference, allowing him to vote on policy and party issues.
Following inquiries from the ABC, the ALP said on the weekend it would now seek to expel Mr Teti from its Victorian branch.
Mr Teti denies any wrongdoing and said he only had a professional relationship with Madafferi.
Former WA mayor faces accusations he led mafia cell
Court documents from ongoing proceedings in Italy also show Italian prosecutors allege Tony Vallelonga, who is the former mayor of Stirling in Perth, is the local leader of a mafia cell in Perth.
Court files allege that Mr Vallelonga is responsible for "making the most important decisions, imparting orders or imposing sanctions on other subordinate associates".
The files allege Mr Vallelonga was concerned about a rival who wanted to start his own cell on Mr Vallelonga's turf with the approval of Calabrian bosses.
PHOTO: Detective-Superintendent Matt Warren said the mafia was robust and difficult to defeat. (ABC)
Mr Vallelonga was allegedly recorded in an Italian laundromat recounting a conversation with his competitor where he allegedly said: "As long as I'm alive, you don't get a locale [local mafia cell] ... and that's that!"
To which his rival responded: "You can't be the man any more ... enough!"
It comes after the prosecutors sought to question Mr Vallelonga over his dealings in Calabria with a notorious mafia boss.
Mr Valleonga has always denied the allegations and in a statement sent to the ABC, Mr Vallelonga's lawyer said any allegation the former mayor had ever been involved in criminal activity was "completely without any foundation".
Outside of the political arena, Italian police have identified another Australian allegedly working in Calabria who is part of the influential Alvaro family.
Some members of the family were recently subjects of an international anti-mafia operation when authorities seized tonnes of cocaine and made dozens of arrests.
Confidential Italian and Australian police files state that the Alvaro clan has arms in Australia.
They are allegedly headed by Adelaide construction figure Paul Alvaro, 64, and a New South Wales man.
The pair are among figures around the country, including in Griffith, New South Wales.
A police assessment said the individuals operate as "an executive board of directors" for the Calabrian Mafia.
Police focus on organised crime needed, say experts
Experts both local and abroad have suggested law enforcement authorities need to allocate more resources to keeping organised crime in check.
A 2013 multi-agency report warned that "'Ndrangheta Transnational Australian Groups posed a major organised crime risk to Australia".
Former New South Wales police assistant commissioner Clive Small investigated the Calabrian Mafia as part of the Woodward Royal Commission.
He said authorities had been denying for 16 years there was Calabrian Mafia in Australia and had ignored recommendations to set up a long-term anti-mafia offensive.
"If we say it doesn't exist, then we don't have to do anything because there's nothing to respond to and I think that's the problem," he said.
"It's been hidden from the public because it's too big a political problem."
Detective Superintendent Matt Warren, who led Australia's biggest mafia bust, said the mafia was robust and could regroup better than any other organised crime syndicate after major convictions.
"What we've seen is that these groups are very difficult to defeat," he said.
"In the past where they've suffered defeats at the hands of law enforcement ... through those family connections they're able to rebuild.
"They will reorganise and they'll continue to conduct unlawful activity, drug importations, white collar crime, because it's their business."
Their concern echoes a classified 2003 National Crime Authority report obtained by the ABC.
"It is suggested that they [Australia's mafia cells] will neither decline nor cease their activities in the foreseeable future due to their long entrenched history in criminality in Australia, the steady market demand for cannabis and other illicit drugs and the diversion of law enforcement efforts to other areas," it states.
Detective Superintendent Warren said the mafia would try to cultivate people from all walks of life, particularly those with influence.
"We certainly see organised crime figures cultivating sporting stars. It's no different with political figures," he said.
"They're looking to try and gain influence and gain power and use that towards potentially diverting attention away from themselves."
Mr Small was surprised by the amount of contact mafia figures had with Australian politicians.
"I can't believe our politicians are so dopey that, having known the allegations, that they continued to have a fund, to accept money from a fundraiser," he said.
"I find that so extremely difficult to understand how they could do it or how they could be so naïve."
Four Corners airs at 8:30pm on ABC.
First posted about 6 hours ago
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