Feature Articles

By J. R. de Szigethy

     Federal prosecutors in New York have launched another attack on the Mafia-controlled garbage hauling industry by announcing the indictments of 8 members of the Luchese Family on charges of racketeering, murder conspiracy, arson, extortion, and bribery. 63 year old Luchese figure Salvatore Avellino, his son, son-in-law, and five others were recently charged with these crimes by a Long Island Grand Jury that is a part of a years-long attempt by the government to rid Mob control of this lucrative money making industry, according to an Associated Press report.

     Avellino is already serving a 10-year prison term for his participation in the 1989 murder of two New York independent trash carters who had co-operated with the authorities. Another honest independent carting employee, Steven Bisulca, was shot five times by the Lucheses but survived. The new indictments also cover the conspiracy against Bisulca.

     The fight over the disposal of New York City�s vast accumulation of garbage has been waging for the last two decades, and among the most vocal authorities on this subject has been Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari. Staten Island is the home of the Fresh Kills landfill, America�s largest illegal garbage dumping facility. Such is the power of the Mob over this industry � and New York�s political landscape � that the Mob has been allowed all of this time to daily bring truckloads of garbage to the Fresh Kills site with impunity. The Fresh Kills site will soon be closed which, ironically, will provide new opportunities for the Mob to exploit in regards to the on-going problem of how to dispose of the enormous waste produced by America�s largest city.

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