A mafia radar
In the fight against organised crime, the simplest means of investigation, such as observation, are often the most effective. fedpol’s most efficient tool are the eyes of its employees.
Those who master the art of observing without being seen can blend in with the crowd. The employees who carry out these investigations do not wield any sophisticated instruments other than their eyes and patience. Observation has been tried and tested as a means of investigation in criminal prosecution, and has proven to be very efficient, especially in the case of Italian organised crime. The Italian mafias have well established structures and rituals. The chief of the police station summarised the power of observation by stating: “The gestures and behaviour of mafia members reveal these structures, such as the rank of an individual, the membership of a ‘ndrine, the meeting of a locale or even the initiation of a new member.”
Marriage within the mafia
fedpol observers are aware of the rituals and hierarchy of the Italian mafia. This allows them to recognise Mafiosi. In autumn 2021, fedpol conducted an operation in a church in Switzerland. A Mafioso had died; his funeral was a valuable opportunity to see and recognise his entourage. Another operation took place at another church ceremony – a wedding. The party was in full swing around the bride and the groom, while a show of force took place just a few metres away. Men stood in a circle with their arms crossed. fedpol observed an important scene, taking pictures and notes. The men in a circle were ‘ndrine bosses who were there to confirm the union of family clans. While the lovebirds enjoyed their wedding night, it was also the beginning of business between two families. For the ‘Ndrangheta, for example, religious events are important rites of passage.
Meticulous teamwork
Observation is a delicate mission, especially since the individuals being observed may be on the lookout for anyone observing them. The work of observing involves shedding light on what is hidden, while remaining invisible. The work must then be documented and archived so that fedpol analysts and investigators can piece together the puzzle and provide evidence of the links between the mafia members. The findings are documented in a daily report and described chronologically in a neutral and objective manner. The demanding and engaging field work requires observers to be spotters, to know the local geography, to have specialist knowledge and to be flexible for short and sometimes very long missions. The conclusions of the observations and the photos taken are then sorted: material that is relevant for the investigation is added to the file and taken into account in the criminal procedure. For example, a meeting in a restaurant or bank transactions can be important evidence for an investigation. However, the information added to the file should not give away the police’s tactics, for instance when and where exactly a police observation took place. While mafia members are very discreet, the fedpol observers are even more so.