Vincenzo Musacchio: The ''mocro mafia'' is expanding in Europe
AMDuemila October 25, 2024
The criminologist's analysis on RaiNews.it on the crime that is conquering Northern Germany

“ In recent days, a debate has been reopened in the Netherlands on the dangerousness of the so-called 'mocro mafia', also prompted by the ongoing trial in which the defendants are leading figures in the criminal organization. Among the defendants is the undisputed mafia boss, Ridouan Taghi , forty-three years old, Dutch of Moroccan origin, arrested in Dubai in 2019 and now detained in the special prison of Nieuw Vosseveld in Vught. The defendants are accused of multiple crimes related to drug trafficking committed in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, and Antwerp, in Belgium. All port sites where the hub for cargo arriving from South America and Africa takes place ”. The speaker is Professor Vincenzo Musacchio , criminologist and teacher of strategies for fighting transnational crime, in response to questions from RaiNews.it on the expansion of mafias in Europe. “ As far as Germany is concerned, the focus is undoubtedly on the Hamburg port district, another strategic crossroads for drug trafficking and trade in the European Union ,” he told journalist Pierluigi Mele .
“Mocro mafia” is a term coined by the Dutch media, he explained, and “ refers to several criminal gangs that have been active for decades, mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium .” “ The word ‘mocro’ comes from a Dutch term for people of Moroccan origin ,” he added . “However, native Dutch and other nationalities, including non-African ones, are also active in the criminal organization. This is one of the reasons why the term is misleading. There is also criticism that the term mafia could attribute to this organization a greater potential than it actually has. Analyzing the facts and especially the recent developments of this criminal organization, we realize instead that defining it as a mafia is not at all inappropriate .” The mocro-mafia rose to international prominence in 2021, when Dutch journalist Peter de Vries was killed in broad daylight in Amsterdam. This murder “ in addition to the link with the trial against Ridouan Taghi , is also connected to the blow inflicted on the mocro-mafia from an economic point of view ”. Now, Musacchio explained, the mocro-mafia is changing strategy, adopting a network structure and collaborating with other international mafias, including those that traffic “