Gang de la Brise de Mer

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Gang de la Brise de Mer
Founded1970s
Founding location Corsica, Bastia
Years active1970s-present
Territory France (including Corsica, Marseille and Paris), Italy, North Africa, and Argentina
EthnicityPeople of Corsican descent
Membershipc.100
Criminal activities Racketeering, drug trafficking, skimming, gambling, loan sharking, money laundering, pimping, extortion, robbery, bribery, fraud, management of hotels, night clubs and casinos
Allies Hornec family
American Mafia
Sicilian Mafia
'Ndrangheta
Clan del Golfo
FLNC
Rivals Petit Bar Gang
Venzolasca Gang
Armata Corsa

The Gang de la Brise de Mer was one of the most powerful Corsican criminal organizations. Based in Northern Corsica, the gang controls various activities (racketeering, slots machines traffic, laundering, night clubs, gambling clubs, casinos, etc.) in Corsica, but also in the South of France, in Paris, in Italy, in Occidental African countries (Gabon, Mali, Cameroon, etc.), and in Latin American countries.

Contents

The gang's moniker came from a Bastia cafe called La Brise de Mer ("the sea breeze"), where they held meetings throughout the 1970s.

The gang is well known for its spectacular, violent armed robberies in Corsica, France and the rest of Europe. The robbery of the UBS bank in Geneva, Switzerland in 1990; the attack on a Securipost trunk in 1991 and the robbery of Air France Mercure in 1992 are probably the most important robberies of the gang.

The "Brise de Mer" is also suspected of involvement in the murders in 2001 of members of Armata Corsa, a separatist Corsican armed group.

Around ten families or clans constitute the "Brise de Mer" organization. Its capital is estimated to be between 120 and 150 million Euros. This money is invested in Corsica (in illegal activities like racketeering etc. but also legal activities like tourism and construction business) and the rest of France, through the running of night clubs, bars and illegal slots machines (principally in the Southern France cities like Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Toulon) and gambling clubs in Paris. Other investments are casino activities in Africa, Latin America and Italy.

In 2001, several gangsters escaped from a prison near Bastia by sending fake faxes from a judge ordering their release. [1]

Since 2008, several important suspected members of the gang (Richard Casanova, Daniel Vittini, Francis Mariani, Pierre-Marie Santucci) have been killed during violent conflicts among the various Corsican gangs. [2]

Origins

The Gang de la Brise de Mer began in the late 1970s, when a group of young Corsican criminals started meeting at a bar in Bastia’s old port called La Brise de Mer, run by Antoine Castelli. In the beginning, their crimes were small and often clumsy. For example during one early robbery, they forgot to bring their weapons. [3] As Corsica grew more unstable, the group became more organized, moving from petty crime to larger operations. Their rise began on September 10, 1981, with the assassination of Louis Memmi, who was a leading crime figure. It marked the start of their influence over Corsican organized crime. [4]

Key Members or Pillars of the Brise de Mer

Francis Mariani was a prominent member of the Brise de Mer. Known for his influence and strong personality, he played a key leadership role within the group.

Richard Casanova, was a longtime associate of Mariani and played an important role in the Brise de Mer. [5] He was known for making political and international contacts. In the early 2000s, he left the group formed a new faction with Jean-Luc Germani and Jean-Luc Codaccioni.[ citation needed ]

Casanova’s new group received support from other Corsican clans, including the Mattéi-Rogliano family, who had split from the Brise de Mer after a prison-yard incident in 2000. He also brought in businessman Michel Tomi, the Federici clan known as the “Shepherd Robbers of Venzolasca” and the group from southern Corsica led by Alain Orsoni.[ citation needed ]

Corsican Organized Crime Conflict (2000s–2020s)

The Corsican organized crime conflict, known as the Grande Guerre du Milieu Corse, is a long-running power struggle. It began in the early 2000s and extends into the 2020s. Rival criminal factions and their mainland allies are at the center. Each group fights for control over lucrative criminal enterprises across Corsica and beyond.

Origins and Main Factions

The violence stems from tensions between two main alliances:

Key Events

The conflict escalated in the mid-2000s. This followed the collapse of the Société Méditerranéenne de Sécurité, founded by former nationalists Antoine Nivaggioni (ex-MPA) and Yves Manunta (ex-ANC). Financial disputes led Manunta to ally with the Petit Bar gang. [7] Both were later assassinated. [8]

The feud intensified after a failed assassination attempt on Francis Mariani in 2005. Retaliation followed quickly. Richard Casanova was killed in 2008, [9] along with Pierre-Marie Santucci and Maurice Costa. Christophe Guazzelli took revenge years later by killing Tony Quilichini ("Tony le Boucher") and Jean-Luc Codaccioni in 2017. [10]

The conflict reached far beyond Corsica. It pulled in criminal networks from Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, and the Paris region. There were also ties abroad, including links to Françafrique . It also affected figures like Robert Féliciaggi, a businessman with African ties, who was killed in 2006. [11] [12] [13]

Ongoing Violence

Law enforcement has disrupted some criminal operations. But killings and revenge still drive the conflict into the 2020s. The next generation of Corsican crime families is now involved. The conflict also includes networks operating in mainland France and beyond. It is tied to arms deals, drug routes, and global trafficking networks. [6] [11]

References

  1. Lichfield, John; Jailbreak by fax is new Corsican blow for France; The Independent, June 20, 2001
  2. France 24- Alleged mafia chief gunned down in Corsican butcher
  3. G.Moréas (2009-02-13). "" Une seule balle, un seul tir "". POLICEtcetera (in French). Retrieved 2025-05-17.
  4. "Le gang corse de La Brise de mer perd l'un de ses derniers barons" (in French). 2012-08-08. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  5. "Richard Casanova, le «très discret» parrain Corse devenu «victime» désignée". 20 Minutes (in French). 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
  6. 1 2 "Corse : l'équipe criminelle du Petit Bar renvoyée devant le tribunal correctionnel" (in French). 2024-08-10. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  7. "Un ex-nationaliste assassiné dans le centre d'Ajaccio" (in French). 2012-07-10. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  8. "Les dessous de la bataille sanglante d'Ajaccio". Le Point (in French). 2012-11-22. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  9. "Richard Casanova, parrain corse, a été abattu à l'arme de guerre dans un guet-apens" (in French). 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  10.  Baiser de la mort », vendetta et guerre fratricide entre héritiers du gang corse de la « Brise de mer » devant les assises à partir ce lundi". Le Télégramme (in French). 2024-05-05. Retrieved 2025-07-18.
  11. 1 2 "Bande du Petit Bar : au terme d'une longue enquête, le parquet requiert un procès pour vingt-sept personnes" (in French). 2024-07-14. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  12. "Ces bandes criminelles qui gangrènent la Corse". Le Figaro (in French). 2022-12-11. Retrieved 2025-05-27.
  13. "Assassinat de Robert Feliciaggi : 12 ans plus tard, l'enquête reste non élucidée". France 3 Corse ViaStella (in French). 2018-09-03. Retrieved 2025-07-18.