I'm not surprised,the criminals also helped to unficate the Italy;Garibaldi in 1860 was helped by mobsters to conquest sicily and a year later Liborio Romano for mantain order in naples paied the camorra bosses.For sure even the irish mafia bosses helped the Ira in the 1920s against the english army.
Is interesti ng how politic and crime are tied.

Agreed. I have a theory that Meyer Lansky laundered the Italian-American mobs money through Israel.

I also believe that Larner later continued the so-called tradition and not just in Israel, but also in other places.