Italian police film of a raid that uncovered a consignment of cocaine.Report links locals to Italian mafia
17 Mar, 2010 01:00 AM
SOME of Griffith's most notorious families have "permanent links" to a $70 billion organised crime empire, according to Italy's top anti-Mafia investigation unit.
A report by the Italian Anti-Mafia Commission has named members of the local Barbaro and Sergi families as "active affiliates" of the Calabrian Mafia.
Also known as the 'Ndrangheta, the Italian-based Calabrian Mafia operates a worldwide drug trafficking network with close ties to Australia.
"The links with the mafia families are steadfast and deeply rooted in Australia where permanent traditional links with the Calabrian clans have been solidly established," the commission said in its annual report.
"Clans like Sergi, Barbaro, (and) Papalia have been active through their Australian affiliates for some time."
In August 2008, Griffith's Pasquale Barbaro, 47, was arrested along with four other local men following the world's largest ecstasy seizure in Melbourne.
Police allege Barbaro masterminded the shipment of 15 million pills with a street value of $400 million.
Barbaro, who is in a Melbourne jail awaiting trial, is the son of Francesco "Little Trees" Barbaro, who was named in the Woodward Royal Commission as a member of the Griffith-based Mafia group behind the murder of anti-drugs campaigner Don Mackay in 1977.
The Woodward report also implicated Antonio Sergi, Domenic Sergi, Francesco Sergi and Antonio Sergi from the winery in Mr Mackay's disappearance.
The anti-Mafia commission also named former Griffith man Pasquale "Pat" Sergi, a Sydney property developer and charity director, as a money launderer for high-profile drug boss Robert Trimbole.
Griffith mayor Mike Neville said it was regrettable the criminal actions of a minority of residents continued to detract from the positives the city had to offer.
"Unfortunately because of the actions of a very few, we'll have to live it," Councillor Neville said of the negative publicity.
"But we've also got a tag for being a great multicultural city, producing the best wines in Australia if not the world, and being a population that's fed the nation for nearly 100 years.
"Realistically, we've just got to get on with our lives and do what we need to do and let the law and order people do their job."
A report by the Italian Anti-Mafia Commission has named members of the local Barbaro and Sergi families as "active affiliates" of the Calabrian Mafia.
Also known as the 'Ndrangheta, the Italian-based Calabrian Mafia operates a worldwide drug trafficking network with close ties to Australia.
"The links with the mafia families are steadfast and deeply rooted in Australia where permanent traditional links with the Calabrian clans have been solidly established," the commission said in its annual report.
"Clans like Sergi, Barbaro, (and) Papalia have been active through their Australian affiliates for some time."
In August 2008, Griffith's Pasquale Barbaro, 47, was arrested along with four other local men following the world's largest ecstasy seizure in Melbourne.
Police allege Barbaro masterminded the shipment of 15 million pills with a street value of $400 million.
Barbaro, who is in a Melbourne jail awaiting trial, is the son of Francesco "Little Trees" Barbaro, who was named in the Woodward Royal Commission as a member of the Griffith-based Mafia group behind the murder of anti-drugs campaigner Don Mackay in 1977.
The Woodward report also implicated Antonio Sergi, Domenic Sergi, Francesco Sergi and Antonio Sergi from the winery in Mr Mackay's disappearance.
The anti-Mafia commission also named former Griffith man Pasquale "Pat" Sergi, a Sydney property developer and charity director, as a money launderer for high-profile drug boss Robert Trimbole.
Griffith mayor Mike Neville said it was regrettable the criminal actions of a minority of residents continued to detract from the positives the city had to offer.
"Unfortunately because of the actions of a very few, we'll have to live it," Councillor Neville said of the negative publicity.
"But we've also got a tag for being a great multicultural city, producing the best wines in Australia if not the world, and being a population that's fed the nation for nearly 100 years.
"Realistically, we've just got to get on with our lives and do what we need to do and let the law and order people do their job."
