Am I the only one who thinks that Andrew Scoppa start to physically look a little bit like Vito Rizzuto?

Daniel Renaud once stated that he was a man of honor or made member, but if he was under Gallo I doubt it. It seems that as of today the made member status in Montreal doesn't mean that much anymore, it certainly doesn't protect the person. I think that Giuseppe De Vito also wasn't a made member yet he was one of the biggest players.

I think it would be intriguing if certain individuals are still connected to New York. I think connections still make the difference for anyone who wants to assume the top spot. As of now that seems to be a potential death sentence. I very much doubt nobody wants to be the big boss, they just don't want to be marked, so they keep a low profile until the time is right.

I agree that drug traffickers have been trending to include people from different ethnicities but these individuals, to the best of my knowledge, do not control large territories as bikers, mafia or other major OC groups.I wouldn't be surprised to find out that each of these ethnicities have ties to major OC groups.
You do make a good observation about this ethnicity trend , maybe the major OC are adapting and are willing to do business with whomever is able to obtain their merchandise.
With regards to the port of Montreal, it as been for decades, controlled by the Montreal Irish mafia. The Irish mafia have always done business with both the bikers and the Mafia. Although in recent years the Irish mafia have been losing influence, it could be possible that the bikers/mafia may control it one day. I also agree with you that the port of Montreal is one of the many entry points where they can bring in their drugs.

About the physical appearance, Andrew looks more scarier than Vito. Remember, Andrew fought his way up the ranks from the streets. Vito was groomed and appointed.

If there is connections to NY, it would come from the Sicilian camp.
I agree with you, they want the boss job but not the spotlight; especially when a war is being waged.

Though Ciment, the group in power before Rizzuto (Cotroni, Violi, etc.) weren't Sicilians but they were closer than the Rizzutos to New York / The Bonannos.

I wonder if anyone left in Montreal is close to Cali and the current Gambino, Sicilian leafership group. That would be a better alliance than the Bonannos.

However true that the Cotroni's had close ties to the Bonanno's at one point, the MTL Sicilian clan always did have blood relations with some of the NY members. The likelihood of any future relationship may come from the Sicilian clan but anything is possible.

Agreed about Scoppa. As for connections, historically speaking it seems that the Cotronis were closer to the Bonannos than the Rizzutos. But I'm going all the way back to the 1970s. You may be right that the Sicillians, especially the ones who were close to Montagna have more connections. I doubt however that any of them will ever assume the top spot.

Biggest candidates are imo: Cun trera, Scoppa or a Cotroni.

But Sollecito or Arcadi aren't to be ruled out and I think even Leonardo Rizzuto might remain influential.

Btw, do you know the correct translation of the last sentence of the Scoppa article? Google states that "both Scoppa's aren't in good shape". I don't think that's to be taken literally because both are gym fanatics, lol.

I agree with Cun trera , Scoppa or Cotroni but not so sure about Sollecito or Arcadi they seem to lack respect from the ranks.

Scoppa has that receding hairline like Rizzuto had but that is about it, by my eyes anyways.

Link to French-language article is below:

"Un important réseau de trafic de cocaïne démantelé"
http://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/546894f2-78db-44e5-8ce0-8037b14b8e35%7ClDkSxpIyq_o-.html

Please note that in the article, the copy "crime organisé traditionnel québécois" does not refer to Italian traditional organized crime.

The last sentence of that article (http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justic...eure-detenu.php)

Depuis des années, des informations parviennent à la police voulant que les deux frères Scoppa ne soient pas en bon terme.

means that for many years, information has made its way to the police arguing, or claiming, that the Scoppa brothers (Andrea, Salvatore) are not on good terms.

Interesting, thanks antimafia.

LONGUEUIL
A LARGE NETWORK OF COCAINE TRAFFICKING DISMANTLED
DANIEL RENAUD
LA PRESSE April 21, 2017
The police in Longueuil yesterday dismantled a cocaine distribution network that managed to escape the police radar for a few years until becoming an organization able to sell for more than 1.5 million dollars of this drug every week.

"The investigation shows that the organization has distributed between 20 and 30 kilos of cocaine per week. Put the cost of the kilo at $ 50,000 or $ 55,000, and do the math. And at this price, the drug is not yet cut off, "says Pierre Duquette, a specialized crime inspector for the Longueuil Police Service (SPAL).

At 5 am yesterday, investigators from the Longueuil Police Network unit, assisted by their colleagues from the Richelieu Saint-Laurent Police Department, the Châteauguay police, the SQ and the RCMP, searched A dozen homes of Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Mont-Saint-Hilaire and Boucherville, as well as a warehouse in Beloeil that served as a cache for drugs.

Thirteen individuals were targeted. At the time of writing, ten of them had been arrested and three were wanted. Some suspects have been released while others are expected to appear today to face charges related to trafficking in cocaine and methamphetamine.

According to a partial assessment made mid-afternoon yesterday, investigators have seized up to now over $ 70,000 in cash, two kilos of cocaine, several hundred pills and nine vehicles used by the suspects.

WITH BIKERS
The disbanded organization would be independent and described as part of traditional organized crime in Quebec. It would have supplied other criminal organizations including the Devils Ghosts, a junior Hells Angels club.

The police assessed that the territory served by the organization was delimited by the sectors of Roussillon, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Longueuil and Varennes. Historically, this territory is controlled by the South section of the Hells Angels, but nothing in the investigation has shown that the organization paid a tax to motorcyclists.

"It was a very well structured organization with a lot of contacts. The suspects used PGPs [encrypted messaging] to communicate. They were supplying themselves in an X-room with pounds, providing mid-level players who, in turn, were supplying players of lower level, "says Duquette.

It was not possible to know whether the organization was also importing. The investigation, called Sentence, began last September. Obviously, having escaped the police attention during a few years allowed the organization to take a significant place on the territory of Monterrey.

Desjardins.

Desjardins himself admitted that he can never be boss because he wasn't Italian. This was caught in surveillance tapes. The rising star Mirarchi is a possibility, he seems to have ties to the Ndrangheta in Ontario.

Not as a boss of the Italians, but Raynald is a leader in his own right.

I agree, he has proven to be a leader.

I was talking about the Montreal Mafia. Besides not being Italian, he also has health issues. And he killed a made member from New York which doesn't help.

Imo, it seems that the guys who are in the best position to gain unanimous support are the ones mentioned. Someone who was at the center of the mob war probably still has too many enemies and bad blood to be widely accepted. This turned out to be a problem for anyone other than Vito Rizzuto.

But isn't Mirarchi still in jail? I thought he was one of the defendants in the Montagna murder trial, as was Desjardins. Were the charges against him dropped or is he out on bail?

By the way, I still think they shouldn't have allowed Desjardins to plead guilty and get only 14 years. They should have tried getting him a life sentence or nothing. Not because I am sorry for Montagna or anything, it's just this was the only chance (although a small one) to get Desjardins to flip. I understand that it would have been unlikely anyway, he already did about 10 years for drugs (I think) and didn't talk, but with more decades behind bars, maybe he would have given up after waiting another 10 or 15 years. He isn't that young after all. This was the only chance to get at least some information about who is fighting whom, who is in charge in the Mafia in Canada now etc. Nobody else knows as much as Desjardins, among the ones who are still alive I think. All (or almost all?) of the older high ranking Mafiosi in Montreal who went through the major events, have been killed already, Vito Rizzuto died by himself, Mirarchi is too young to know things that happened when Desjardins was already active. The ones still around probably are mostly younger ones and/or former "secondary characters" who are "filling the void" left by all those whacked pro-Rizzuto and anti-Rizzuto faction members...

Only the second incident described in the article (to which I've posted a link below) may be related to tensions within the Montreal Mafia.

"Deux incendies à Montréal"

http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justic...-a-montreal.php

Last article I read about Mirarchi and others involved is that there is a possibility that they may get a stay in sentencing this means that they can be out in the near future. Desjardins may be a different matter because he pleaded guilty.

I seriously doubt Desjardins has any worries about repercussions for killing Montagna other than from the Mounties. The Bonanno's are not after him, it's the Sicilian's in Montreal that he will have to worry about. Mirarchi is his only shot at living. But him killing a made member doesn't mean shit in Montreal anymore unless the guy was a Rizzuto or Ndrangheta.

As for his sentencing, I don't know Canada's laws but I wonder if he gets out of that plea agreement since the evidence couldn't be used. I don't think I've seen a case like that before.

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-ne...spector-general

Montreal towing industry run by organized crime.

Yes Mirarchi is the key guy and you also have the Neapolitan Felice Racaniello.

"Arson suspected in early morning fire at Rizzuto-linked funeral home"

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-ne...d-funeral-home/

http://globalnews.ca/news/3402037/fire-started-at-loreto-funeral-home-in-saint-leonard/

More info. on Loreto fire.

Agreed that he has more to worry about the old Rizzuto group in Montreal than the Bonannos in New York. Other than putting a contract on him, of which there is anecdotal evidence, I doubt the Bonannos are inclined to send anyone over, but they don't need to either given the fact that Desjardins already has enemies over there looking to kill him. I think he still is, and will remain, a high priority target in Montreal.

You can't leave out the Arcuri's, they have always been loyal to the Bonanno's. Everytime there is a conflict they come out of obscurity and become part of an alliance.

It's not easy to say no with the HA at your door.

Looks like the Loreto fire is a symbolic attack.

The last time it happened was when Nick Rizzuto was still alive. I think that attack in 2010 was a sign for him to step down. Could this have the same underlying message? If so, does that mean that the family (Leonardo?) is still in a position of power?