When one hears the word mafia they most often think of the New York mafia in America or the various mob families it Italy but seldom does Australia come to mind. The Calabrian mafia also known as the Ndrangheta one of the worlds most powerful and secretive criminal syndicates has deep roots in Australia. Based out of Calabria in southern Italy they have become one of the countries leading organized crime groups and are quickly becoming a world wide force. They now have roots in multiple countries including Canada and the United States but perhaps their deepest ties outside of their native Italian homeland are in Australia.
The mafia has flourished in Australia according to law enforcement infiltrating the highest levels of politics and embedding itself into the countries core. The mafia in Australia has a long violent history that has been kept relatively quiet in respect to mafia news from other parts of the world. Australia has long been a haven for Italian migrants and they created what authorities call a “Little Italy” with in the country. This Italian community quickly became a place for the Australian Ndrangheta to make roots and begin to grow carrying on blood ties through generations.
This two part documentary called “The Mafia in Australia” looks into the history of the mafia in Australia and its rise to power. It contains some fabulous interviews and takes a very in depth approach as to how and why the Ndrangheta has chosen Australia as such a trusted operational hub. They dive into the murder and mayhem that has haunted the country for years and remains today despite recent efforts by authorities against the Australian mafia. It’s a really interesting look inside the Australia mob which is still unknown to many worldwide.
