A mafia war is brewing in Toronto between rival clans of the Ndrangheta or Calabrian mafia according to Italian authorities. Documents prepared by prosecutors in Italy outline the inner workings of Ontario based mob families as part of a criminal case targeting the elite of the Ndrangheta. Operation Acero-Krupy in Europe lead to the arrests of dozens of alleged high ranking mobsters along with demonstrating a Canadian connection. Prosecutors in Italy also claim conversation taped by hidden microphones point to Ndrangheta clans in Canada being on the brink of a mafia war.
A conversation between Vincent Crupi who had recently returned to Italy from Canada and his brother-in-law Vincenzo Macri provided details of the brewing conflict. Crupi provided Macri with a detailed report about meetings he had in Canada with high ranking members of the Ndrangheta in the Canadian territory. Authorities say the conversation highlighted danger of an escalation in armed conflicts within the Ndrangheta clans in Canada, particularly between the Figliomeni and Coluccio clans. Arrest warrants were issued for both Crupi and Macri back in September as part of operation Acero-Krupy.
Friction between Ndrangheta clans in Canada has been on the rise since the murder of Carmine Verduci back in 2014 according to authorities. Verduci was an important part of the Canadian Ndrangheta working as a transatlantic go between for mobsters in Canada and Italy. He was shot dead outside a sports cafe in Woodbridge. During the conversation between Crupi and Macri the murder of Verduci was discussed with Crupi calling it an assassination alleging it was a planned mob hit by two brothers from Vaughn, Ont. both considered as fugitives in Italy for mafia association.
Italian authorities have shared the information with authorities in Canada, according to sources from both countries. But authorities in Canada would have problems using the wiretap information in a criminal case as laws vary and Judicial authorization for wiretaps are easier to acquire for police in Italy than they are in Canada. Police sources in Canada claim that things seem quiet on the streets of Toronto and Ontario and there is no sense that a war is brewing. It seems like business as usual, according to some sources and perhaps the problems between the groups have been worked out peacefully
A mafia war in Toronto would be bad for business and a lot of important people would lose money, according to one police source also saying the group needs cohesion and to show strength to stave off rival mobsters based in Montreal. However, other police sources warn that things may be a little too quiet with everyone getting along more so than normal and it could signal things are either really good or really bad its difficult to tell for sure.
