Barbaro 'ndrina
Encyclopedia
The Barbaro 'ndrina is a clan of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria
, Italy
. The 'ndrina is currently based in Platì
. The clan also has a strong presence in northern Italy, notably in Buccinasco
, near Milan
, as well as in Australia, in particular in the Griffith, New South Wales
area.
. In the 1950s the clan was involved in a bloody feud with the Mammoliti 'ndrina
. In October 1954, Domenico Barbaro killed Francesco Mammoliti, the head of the rival clan. On November 7, 1954, the Mammolitis retaliated and killed Francesco Barbaro and some others, an attack that was attributed to Vincenzo Mammoliti, who was acquitted by the court because of insufficient proof. On January 19, 1955, Giovanni Barbaro, the brother of Francesco, was killed with 31 gun shots.
In the end the Mammoliti clan prevailed and the Barbaros moved to Platì
. The feud lingered on until 1978, when Domenico Barbaro was killed in Perugia
, after serving 26 years in prison for the murder of Francesco Mammoliti in 1954.
U'Castanu was known as the king of kidnapping in the 1980s. He was arrested on January 5, 1989. Many of the 'Ndrangheta clans in Platì, such as Trimboli, Sergi, Romeo, Papalia and Marando are associated through blood relations, which center around the Barbaro. Francesco’s son Giuseppe Barbaro took over the leadership of the clan. He was included in the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy until his arrest on December 10, 2001.
The arrest led to the discovery of a complex underground fortress in the mountains in Platì that has been used by the local clans for decades. The tunnels – most running parallel to the town's sewer system – were sophisticated and in some places large enough to drive a lorry through. Remote-controlled trap doors lead into houses, some of them uninhabited, enabling the mafiosi to escape from the police. Some of the tunnels emerged outside the town close to woodland, while others open into animal pens and barns on local farms. Platì has been called the "cradle of kidnapping" and it is suspected that kidnap victims were held within the complex.
The money extorted with kidnappings was invested in drug trafficking and construction in northern Italy, in particularly around Buccinasco
, near Milan
. The clan participated in a cartel of 'Ndrangheta families involved in cocaine trafficking with the Mafia family of Mariano Agate
.
Another son of Francesco, Rocco Barbaro, was arrested on February 8, 2003.
in 1977. He was born in 1937 in Platì and gained his nickname from planting citrus seedlings on his NSW farm. The Commission alleged "Little Trees" made a fortune from "activities associated with cannabis cultivation" and, along with Robert Trimbole
and his brother-in-law Antonio Sergi – also born in Platì in 1935 – was part of an organisation "comprised almost exclusively of persons of Calabrian descent, based in Griffith and Sydney, which engaged in the illicit cultivation, trafficking and distribution of cannabis" between 1974 and 1977.
In August 2008, Australian 'Ndrangheta boss Pasquale "Pat" Barbaro – the son of Francesco – was involved in the importation of 15 million ecstasy pills through Melbourne
, at the time the world's largest ecstasy haul. The pills were hidden in 3,000 tomato cans in a shipping container brought in from Calabria. Barbaro was arrested in Carlton
. Another shipping container, which arrived in Melbourne in July 2008 contained 150 kg of cocaine. The investigation also identified a money-laundering operation worth more than A$9 million. In the early 1990s, Pasquale Barbaro, had been charged, and later cleared, in connection to a massive cannabis plantation on a Riverina
farm.
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The 'ndrina is currently based in Platì
Platì
Platì is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, in Calabria, southern Italy. It rises 300 metres above the sea level on the slope of the Aspromonte mountains and is located next to the Aspromonte National Park...
. The clan also has a strong presence in northern Italy, notably in Buccinasco
Buccinasco
Buccinasco is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 7 km southwest of Milan.-History:...
, near Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, as well as in Australia, in particular in the Griffith, New South Wales
Griffith, New South Wales
Griffith is a city in south-western New South Wales, Australia. It is also the seat of the City of Griffith local government area. Like the Australian capital, Canberra and the nearby town of Leeton, Griffith was designed by Walter Burley Griffin. Griffith was named after Sir Arthur Griffith the...
area.
Feud with the Mammoliti clan
The clan originally hailed from Castellace in the municipality of Oppido MamertinaOppido Mamertina
Oppido Mamertina is a town and comune of the province of Reggio Calabria in Calabria in southern Italy at about 62 kilometres northeast of Reggio Calabria and about 120 kilometres southwest of Catanzaro....
. In the 1950s the clan was involved in a bloody feud with the Mammoliti 'ndrina
Mammoliti 'ndrina
The Mammoliti 'ndrina is a powerful clan of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organisation in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina is based in Castellace and Oppido Mamertina in the plain of Gioia Tauro in southern Calabria on the Tyrrhenian coast. The clan is considered to be one of the more...
. In October 1954, Domenico Barbaro killed Francesco Mammoliti, the head of the rival clan. On November 7, 1954, the Mammolitis retaliated and killed Francesco Barbaro and some others, an attack that was attributed to Vincenzo Mammoliti, who was acquitted by the court because of insufficient proof. On January 19, 1955, Giovanni Barbaro, the brother of Francesco, was killed with 31 gun shots.
In the end the Mammoliti clan prevailed and the Barbaros moved to Platì
Platì
Platì is a town and comune in the province of Reggio Calabria, in Calabria, southern Italy. It rises 300 metres above the sea level on the slope of the Aspromonte mountains and is located next to the Aspromonte National Park...
. The feud lingered on until 1978, when Domenico Barbaro was killed in Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
, after serving 26 years in prison for the murder of Francesco Mammoliti in 1954.
King of kidnapping
The clan’s long-time boss, Francesco BarbaroFrancesco Barbaro (Castanu)
Francesco Barbaro ), also known as U'Castanu, is a boss of the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type criminal organisation based in Calabria, Italy. Born in Platì, he is the head of the Barbaro 'ndrina. He was known as the king of kidnapping in the 1980s...
U'Castanu was known as the king of kidnapping in the 1980s. He was arrested on January 5, 1989. Many of the 'Ndrangheta clans in Platì, such as Trimboli, Sergi, Romeo, Papalia and Marando are associated through blood relations, which center around the Barbaro. Francesco’s son Giuseppe Barbaro took over the leadership of the clan. He was included in the list of most wanted fugitives in Italy until his arrest on December 10, 2001.
The arrest led to the discovery of a complex underground fortress in the mountains in Platì that has been used by the local clans for decades. The tunnels – most running parallel to the town's sewer system – were sophisticated and in some places large enough to drive a lorry through. Remote-controlled trap doors lead into houses, some of them uninhabited, enabling the mafiosi to escape from the police. Some of the tunnels emerged outside the town close to woodland, while others open into animal pens and barns on local farms. Platì has been called the "cradle of kidnapping" and it is suspected that kidnap victims were held within the complex.
The money extorted with kidnappings was invested in drug trafficking and construction in northern Italy, in particularly around Buccinasco
Buccinasco
Buccinasco is a comune in the Province of Milan in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 7 km southwest of Milan.-History:...
, near Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. The clan participated in a cartel of 'Ndrangheta families involved in cocaine trafficking with the Mafia family of Mariano Agate
Mariano Agate
Mariano Agate is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. He is the boss of Mazara del Vallo Mafia family since the 1970s when he replaced the old boss Mariano Licari. He also was the boss of the mandamento of Mazara, including the Mafia families of Marsala, Salemi and Vita...
.
Another son of Francesco, Rocco Barbaro, was arrested on February 8, 2003.
In Australia
Francesco "Little Trees" Barbaro was named as a member of the Calabrian mafia by the Woodward Royal Commission, held following the disappearance of anti-drugs campaigner Donald MackayDonald Mackay
Donald Bruce Mackay was an Australian anti-drugs campaigner who came to fame in 1977 through the circumstances of his murder.Mackay was born in Griffith and raised in Sydney...
in 1977. He was born in 1937 in Platì and gained his nickname from planting citrus seedlings on his NSW farm. The Commission alleged "Little Trees" made a fortune from "activities associated with cannabis cultivation" and, along with Robert Trimbole
Robert Trimbole
Robert Trimbole was an Australian businessman, drug baron and organised crime boss whose alleged involvement in the disappearance of anti-marijuana campaigner Donald Mackay and involvement in drug trafficking in the Griffith, New South Wales area, led to a royal commission, a Coroner's inquest and...
and his brother-in-law Antonio Sergi – also born in Platì in 1935 – was part of an organisation "comprised almost exclusively of persons of Calabrian descent, based in Griffith and Sydney, which engaged in the illicit cultivation, trafficking and distribution of cannabis" between 1974 and 1977.
In August 2008, Australian 'Ndrangheta boss Pasquale "Pat" Barbaro – the son of Francesco – was involved in the importation of 15 million ecstasy pills through Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, at the time the world's largest ecstasy haul. The pills were hidden in 3,000 tomato cans in a shipping container brought in from Calabria. Barbaro was arrested in Carlton
Carlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
. Another shipping container, which arrived in Melbourne in July 2008 contained 150 kg of cocaine. The investigation also identified a money-laundering operation worth more than A$9 million. In the early 1990s, Pasquale Barbaro, had been charged, and later cleared, in connection to a massive cannabis plantation on a Riverina
Riverina
The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales , Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop...
farm.