For anyone who wants to know the indepth ramifications of the new threat of global organized crime then look no further than Claire Sterlings supberb effort. I have read two other of Claire Sterling's books and was impressed. Very few authors can boast such a talent for researching as Mrs Sterling does.
The book covers the networks of organized crime groups as she details their very important relationships with each of the other. Also what I found very impressive is the way she manages to get the figures for the numerous sums of money that is floating around so many the illegal markets. She also talks about the "Pax Mafiosi", something that Judge Falcone was aware of, the Pax Mafiosi being the new conglomeration of multinational criminal confederations, that is now the biggest threat to the worlds economy. The Russian Mafia are also mentioned to great aplomb, the mysterious syndicates that are now thriving following the break down of the old USSR. This book is an absolute must for anyone seeking knowledge about how the modern Mafia's are joining forces and becoming a multi hydra headed monster, that just keeps on growing new heads, when others are cut off.

Claire Sterling does an amazing job of exposing the new world order of organized crime. Her references seem impeccable and the story she tells is one of world governments crippled by an inability to coordinate and cooperate to the degree that counter-governments (ie, crime families) are cooperating. As a result, the world Sterling paints is one where crime is rapidly becoming the single dominant force in world politics and economics.

This book represents and remains one of the most significant studies of the threat magnitude of international organized crime available today. It is a shame that it is out of print and that it has not received the attention it deserves. Sterling's thoroughly documented study makes crystal clear the breadth and depth of control/leverage purchased with drug profits by international crime organizations acting as a cooperative international affiliation of predators with an objective of power and all that can be achieved with such power over societies little aware of their existence. Sterling's work is an important statement that should have received far more visibility.

This book should be regarded as a "textbook" of the rise of the American Mafia. Ms. Sterling has done an exhaustive research of the origins of the American Mafia from its roots in Sicily to its role in present day. The most memorable discovery in the book was the control the Sicilian Mafia had over its American "version". All in all, an extremely informative study of organized crime on an international scale.

Claire Sterlinsg's study of THE MAFIA has to be among the most comprehensive, sobering explorations of ORGANIZED CRIME ever written. The story begins with mythical genesis of a Sicilian political/criminal secret society around 1865. From legends emerges THE MAN of HONOR: blood-ritually ... baptism by murder...initiated, OMERTA bound Mafioso. Sterling jump-cuts to the 1957 gathering of preeminent Sicilian/Italian-American Mafia clans at The Grand Hotel des Palmes in Palermo; there establishing framework for an international drug smuggling cartel. The staggering operations of this "directorate of world drug trade" (p.37) are the focus of the book. Sterling dismissively chronicles maturation of Italo/American Black Hand terrorists to Cosa Nostra ((Our Thing: as American mob families reverence their branch/tentacle)) during PROHIBITION. Capone is a flamboyant anachronism. Even Lucky Luciano...founder of America's Mafia Commission and assassination arm, Murder Incorporated...is barely acknowleged. Why? Power. THE OCTOPUS, is Scilian. Names like Michele Greco; Luciano Leggio; Salvatore Riina; Tommaso Buscetta & Stefano Bonate blaze across the pages as arch-criminals in a war among themselves (1981-1983) and disorganzed...compromised/corrupted...forces of LAW for world domination defined as a multi, multi-BILLION dollar/year drug trade. ((Sterling's statistics assert drugs...cocaine & heroine... constitute the third most lucrative commodity in modern history: oil; weapons; stuff/ropa)) Heroic Judges Rocco Chinnici & Giovanni Falcone (Magistrates in suicidally dangerous Mafia maxi-trial, held in Italy/Sicily in the 80's;)are described. Americans named Rudolph Giuliani (former Gov.; would-be senator of New York) and Detective Douglas Le Vein are enemies of America's 5 Families and their multi-ethnic, politically correct allies across the USA. They are presented to remind that the WAR...while being lost...has not yet been abandoned... Chapters dealing with racketeer financier Michele Sindona's establishment of an international money laundering network; along with European trade agreements (like NAFTA?) allowing Mafia trafficers to smuggle with impugnity are incredible. Mafia mythology...romantic GODFATHER-type misconceptions...are destroyed. "Men of Honor" are murderers, brutality their political agenda. Claire Sterling has done a fine job on the subject of EVIL. The 5th Estate indisputably exists as " MAFIA without frontiers" (p.314), World Government of Crime. Like REVELATION, this book pronounces damning judgment on a damnable thing....

This book for me atleast is a fantastic look at the new collaberation of organized crime on an international level.She starts her investigation with the sicilian clans and their efforts in spearheading the frightening cooperation of a new global mafia.when i started reading this book i couldnt put it down i read it within 10 days claire sterling has taught me things about the russain mafia i could never have known and she has done wonders for my investigations into organized crime. All the major organized crime figures and cans are here with knowledge of what their buisness interests.are in the new internatiional conglomerate that has now become organized crime.also claire tells us in great detail of who is doing what and what their importance is in the brotherhood of inernational organized crime.The pax mafia is no longer mere speculation and with the demise of ussr russia has become a massive breeding ground and a massive target for all the crime organizations throughout the globe and this book gives you a frightening account of what the relationships of the international mafias are to each of the other.A fantastic read and one which opens your eyes to the new world order of organized crime.