Mafia Wants a Piece of the Wind Power Industry

Apparently, the Mafia's influence in Italy is as strong as ever, according to central authorities. Police and other law enforcement agencies are currently engaged in a massive crack-down on all the major Sicilian families, who have been planning, over the last months, to make sure that the contract for a new major wind farm lands in the hands of a consortium of firms they back up. At this time, Italian authorities are doing their very best to identify and stop all activities in which Cosa Nostra is involved, even though that may prove to be impossible.

In order to be certain that the contract is awarded to their firms, organized criminals have simply lavished government officials in the region in bribes, including expensive clothing, jewelry and luxury cars, which have been intended as down payment for the new construction. The project for the wind farm is estimated to cost several thousands euros, but, most likely, the Mafia wants it in order to be able to “wash” some of the money they illegally make in the country.

According to police investigators, mafia-backed businesses already own a large part of Sicily's waste management industry, which brings them a pretty hefty income. It seems, however, that the criminal group now plans to expand its activities, even though at this point it reportedly makes an estimated €6.5 billion a year from controlling public and private contracts.

Indeed, according to statistics, Cosa Nostra is now the most powerful and influential enterprise in Italy, benefiting from approximately €92 billion each year. It controls and filters nearly 6 percent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and has power over approximately 25 percent of businesses in Sicily through various loan sharks and intermediaries.

Under these circumstances, policemen find it very hard to get people to talk about the abuses they are subjected to, especially given the fact that the Mafia has a history of silencing dissent. And if it cannot get to the one who's talking to the police, it can get various relatives and family members. It's through mechanisms such as this one that the infamous criminal organization has managed to resist in a relatively small area for more than 150 years.