Ecomafia

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Ecomafia is an Italian neologism for criminal activities related to organized crime which cause damage to the environment. The term was coined by the Italian environmentalist organization Legambiente in 1994, and has since seen widespread use. [1] In Italy, environmental crime is one of the fastest growing and most profitable forms of criminal activity. [2] As of 2012, an estimated 30% of Italy's waste is disposed of illegally by organized crime syndicates. [3] The United Nations Environment Programme estimated that criminal organizations earned approximately $20–30 billion USD from environmental crimes. [4]

Contents

Activities

The primary activities in which the ecomafia is involved are the illegal trafficking and disposal of waste, illegal construction, and the trafficking of exotic animals and stolen art. [1] The Italian ecomafia is closely connected.

In Italy, the term ecomafia is generally used to describe criminal syndicates which traffic and illegally dispose of industrial, commercial, and radioactive waste. Mafia-related organizations frequently illegally bury waste in southern Italy and build real estate on top of the dumps. Between 2008 and 2010, an estimated 17,000 houses were built on illegal waste dumps. [5]

The 'Ndrangheta and Camorra syndicates are frequently implicated in environmentals crimes, particularly the illegal disposal of hazardous waste. [6] In the 21st century, the criminal organizations in Italy have allied with the Chinese mafia, and cooperate with them on enterprises related to environmental crime. [7] Although public perception in Italy attributes most environmental crime to criminal organizations, corporations in Italy commit environmental crimes more frequently than criminal organizations with mafia ties. Waste disposal is also used as a cover by criminal organizations to conceal the trafficking of drugs, human trafficking, and other illicit activities. [2]

Impact

The unsafe disposal of waste in lakes and grazing land around the Caserta region of Italy have contributed to rising levels of toxins in the dairy and agricultural produce of the region, which forced Italian authorities to declare certain regions off-limits for grazing. [8]

Police operations

In response to the emergence of widespread environmental crimes, the Carabinieri, a police branch of Italy's military, has created a separate branch which specializes in environmental crime. In 2015, environmental police discovered a dump containing industrial waste, medical waste, asbestos, and building materials behind a house in Casal di Principe connected to the Camorra organized crime syndicate. The region of Caserta, where the dump was found, has been associated with the ecomafia since the 1980s when illegal dumping began. [9] The region became known as the "Land of pyres" (terra dei fuochi) because of the common criminal practice of burning toxic waste to dispose of it. [10]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organized crime</span> Groupings of highly centralized criminal enterprises

Organized crime is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a form of illegal business, some criminal organizations, such as terrorist groups, rebel forces, and separatists, are politically motivated. Many criminal organizations rely on fear or terror to achieve their goals or aims as well as to maintain control within the organization and may adopt tactics commonly used by authoritarian regimes to maintain power. Some forms of organized crime simply exist to cater towards demand of illegal goods in a state or to facilitate trade of goods and services that may have been banned by a state. Sometimes, criminal organizations force people to do business with them, such as when a gang extorts money from shopkeepers for "protection". Street gangs may often be deemed organized crime groups or, under stricter definitions of organized crime, may become disciplined enough to be considered organized. A criminal organization can also be referred to as a gang, mafia, mob, (crime) ring, or syndicate; the network, subculture, and community of criminals involved in organized crime may be referred to as the underworld or gangland. Sociologists sometimes specifically distinguish a "mafia" as a type of organized crime group that specializes in the supply of extra-legal protection and quasi-law enforcement. Academic studies of the original "Mafia", the Italian Mafia, which predates the other groups, generated an economic study of organized crime groups and exerted great influence on studies of the Russian mafia, the Chinese Triads, the Hong Kong Triads, and the Japanese Yakuza.

The Camorra is an Italian Mafia-type criminal organization and criminal society originating in the region of Campania. It is one of the oldest and largest criminal organizations in Italy, dating to the 17th century. The Camorra's organizational structure is divided into individual groups also called "clans". Every capo or "boss" is the head of a clan, in which there may be tens or hundreds of affiliates, depending on the clan's power and structure. The Camorra is considered by the Italian Government to be the most violent and murderous criminal organization in Italy. The Camorra's main businesses are drug trafficking, racketeering, counterfeiting, and money laundering. It is also not unusual for Camorra clans to infiltrate the politics of their respective areas.

A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster. Gangs provide a level of organization and resources that support much larger and more complex criminal transactions than an individual criminal could achieve. Gangsters have been active for many years in countries around the world. Gangsters are the subject of many novels, films, television series and video games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illegal dumping</span> Act of dumping waste illegally

Illegal dumping, also called fly dumping or fly tipping (UK), is the dumping of waste illegally instead of using an authorized method such as curbside collection or using an authorized rubbish dump. It is the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, including waste dumped or tipped on a site with no license to accept waste. The United States Environmental Protection Agency developed a “profile” of the typical illegal dumper. Characteristics of offenders include local residents, construction and landscaping contractors, waste removers, scrap yard operators, and automobile and tire repair shops.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental crime</span> Illegal act which directly harms the environment

Environmental crime is an illegal act which directly harms the environment. These illegal activities involve the environment, wildlife, biodiversity and natural resources. International bodies such as, G7, Interpol, European Union, United Nations Environment Programme, United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, have recognised the following environmental crimes:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organized crime in Italy</span> Prevalent criminal organizations and activities in Italy

Organized crime in Italy and its criminal organizations have been prevalent in Italy, especially Southern Italy, for centuries and have affected the social and economic life of many Italian regions since at least the 19th century. There are six major native mafia-like organizations that are heavily active in Italy. The oldest and most powerful of these organizations, having begun to develop between 1500 and 1800, are the 'Ndrangheta from Calabria, the Cosa Nostra from Sicily and the Camorra based in Campania. In addition to these three long-established organizations, there are also three other significantly active organized crime syndicates that were founded in the 20th century: the Stidda of Sicily, and the Sacra Corona Unita and Società foggiana, both from Apulia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cetraro</span> Comune in Calabria, Italy

Cetraro is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza in the Calabria region of southern Italy.

Albanian mafia or Albanian organized crime are the general terms used for criminal organizations based in Albania or composed of ethnic Albanians. Albanian organized crime is active in Europe, North America, South America, and various other parts of the world including the Middle East and Asia. The Albanian Mafia participates in a diverse range of criminal enterprises including trafficking in drugs, arms, and humans. Thanks to their close ties with the 'Ndrangheta of Calabria, they control a large part of the billion dollar wholesale cocaine market in Europe and appear to be the primary distributors of cocaine in various European drug hubs including London. Albanian organized crime is characterized by diversified criminal enterprises which, in their complexity, demonstrate a very high criminal capacity. In Albania, there are over 15 mafia families that control organized crime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casalesi clan</span>

The Casalesi clan is a clan within the Camorra, an Italian criminal organization, operating from San Cipriano d'Aversa in the province of Caserta between Naples and Latium. Formed by Antonio Bardellino, it is a confederation of clans in the Caserta area. The Casalesi clan is believed to be one of the most powerful groups within the Camorra, specialising in construction and keeping a lower profile than clans that focus on drug dealing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naples waste management crisis</span>

The "Naples waste management crisis" is a series of events surrounding the lack of waste collection and illegal toxic waste dumping in and around the Province of Naples, Campania, Italy, beginning in the 1980s. In 1994, Campania formally declared a state of emergency, ending in 2008, however, the crisis has had negative effects on the environment and on human health, specifically in an area that became known as the triangle of death. Due to the burning of accumulated toxic wastes in overfilled landfills and the streets, Naples's surrounding areas became known as the "Land of pyres". The crisis is largely attributed to government failure to efficiently waste manage, as well as the illegal waste disposal by the Camorra criminal organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giuseppe Giorgi</span>

Giuseppe Giorgi is an Italian criminal belonging to the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal organisation in Calabria. After having been a fugitive for 23 years and been included on the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy he was captured in his home town San Luca on 2 June 2017.

The 'Ndrangheta, a criminal organization from Calabria, Italy, has been involved in radioactive waste dumping since the 1980s. Ships with toxic and radioactive waste were sunk off the Italian coast. In addition, vessels were allegedly sent to Somalia and other developing countries with toxic waste, including radioactive waste cargoes, which were either sunk with the ship or buried on land. The introduction of more rigorous environmental legislation in the 1980s made illegal waste dumping a lucrative business for organized crime groups in Italy. The phenomenon of widespread environmental crime perpetrated by criminal syndicates like the Camorra and 'Ndrangheta has given rise to the term "ecomafia".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triangle of death (Italy)</span> Area in Campania, Italy, with a large waste dump

The triangle of death is an area approximately 25 km northeast of the city of Naples in the Province of Naples, Campania, Italy, that comprises the comuni of Acerra, Nola and Marigliano. This area contains the largest illegal waste dump in Europe due to a waste management crisis in the 1990s and 2000s.

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The Greek mafia is the colloquial term used to refer to various organized crime elements originating from Greece. Indigenous organized criminal groups are well-entrenched in the largest Greek urban centers, particularly in Athens.

Green criminology is a branch of criminology that involves the study of harms and crimes against the environment broadly conceived, including the study of environmental law and policy, the study of corporate crimes against the environment, and environmental justice from a criminological perspective.

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The Ukrainian mafia is a type of criminal organization with origins in Ukraine. Such organizations are regarded as one of the most influential types of organized crime coming out of the former USSR, including also the Russian mafia, the Georgian mafia, the Chechen mafia, the Armenian mafia and the Azerbaijani mafia. Ukrainian criminal organizations are involved in a significant number of illegal activities. Although Ukrainian criminal organizations are for the most part independently operating enterprises, they are sometimes connected with Russian mafia organizations, such as the case with Semyon Mogilevich.

References

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  2. 1 2 Spapens, Toine; White, Rob; Uhm, Daan van; Huisman, Wim (2018-05-30). "3: Eco-mafia and environmental crime in Italy". Green Crimes and Dirty Money. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-351-24572-2.
  3. MacDonald, Christine (2012-03-01). "Italy's Eco Mafia". Emagazine.com. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  4. Walters, Reece (2013). "Eco Mafia and Environmental Crime". In Carrington, Kerry; Ball, Matthew; O’Brien, Erin; Tauri, Juan Marcellus (eds.). Crime, Justice and Social Democracy. Crime, Justice and Social Democracy: International Perspectives. Critical Criminological Perspectives. Palgrave Macmillan UK. pp. 281–294. doi:10.1057/9781137008695_19. ISBN   978-1-137-00869-5.
  5. Carrington, K.; Ball, M.; O'Brien, E.; Tauri, J. (2012-10-17). "19: Eco Mafia and environmental crime". Crime, Justice and Social Democracy: International Perspectives. Springer. ISBN   978-1-137-00869-5.
  6. Antonopoulos, Georgios A. (2016-06-16). Illegal Entrepreneurship, Organized Crime and Social Control: Essays in Honor of Professor Dick Hobbs. Springer. pp. 86–95. ISBN   978-3-319-31608-6.
  7. Madsen, Frank (2009-05-11). Transnational Organized Crime. Routledge. pp. 52–56. ISBN   978-1-134-03924-1.
  8. "Toxic scandal in mozzarella country". the Guardian. 2004-10-13. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  9. "Toxic waste: An international business which benefits the Eco-Mafia". 10 July 2015.
  10. Spapens, Toine; White, Rob; Huisman, Wim (2016-06-10). Environmental Crime in Transnational Context: Global Issues in Green Enforcement and Criminology. Routledge. p. 274. ISBN   978-1-317-14227-0.

Further reading