First 'Ndrangheta war

First 'Ndrangheta war
Traditional 'Ndrangheta boss Antonio Macrì, killed 20 January 1975
Date1974–1977
Location
Calabria, Italy
Caused byKilling Giovanni De Stefano and wounding his brother Giorgio De Stefano on 24 November 1974 in the Roof Garden bar, an infamous 'Ndrangheta haunt in Reggio Calabria.
GoalsStruggle over public contracts and restructuring of the 'Ndrangheta
Resulted inRise of the De Stefano 'ndrina and consolidation of Piromalli 'ndrina
Parties
Lead figures
Casualties
Death(s)233 people were killed on both sides[1]

The First 'Ndrangheta war was an internal struggle in the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type criminal organisation in Calabria (southern Italy). The conflict raged from 1974 to 1977 and resulted in approximately 233 deaths.[1] The war broke the equilibrium in the triumvirate, made up of Antonio Macrì, Domenico Tripodo and Girolamo Piromalli, that had ruled the 'Ndrangheta for 15 years, and facilitated the rise of a new generation 'Ndranghetisti, in particular the De Stefano 'ndrina, who wanted to involve the 'Ndrangheta in new, more lucrative criminal activities (especially drug trafficking).

  1. ^ a b Dickie, Mafia Republic: Italy's Criminal Curse, p. 138