The N'drangheta is currently the most powerful in Europe regarding certain rackets, especially junk, and believe it or not the second biggest one is burning toxic waste. Right now, the N'drangheta, with the help of the Italian government, is "donating" incineration machines around Europe and the Balkans, so they can burn the toxic waste in different countries without paying anything, obviously since they already filled every ground in their own country.
Yes today, the ‘ndrangheta operates internationally, expanding not only through hit jobs and turf battles but through something akin to a franchise system, with local players like Aquino in the Benelux operating as part of a worldwide network of crime.
Setting up a foreign outpost for the ‘ndrangheta “is like opening a McDonald’s store,” said Antonio Nicaso, an author and expert on the Calabrian criminal organization.
“The link to Calabria is what gives you credibility, and a recognizable brand,” Nicaso said. “Without that, you’re like a raft in the ocean.”
