Sicilian Mafia

The Sicilian Mafia or Cosa Nostra, also referred to as simply Mafia, is a criminal society and criminal organization operating on the island of Sicily since the 19th century. It is an association of gangs which sell their protection and arbitration services under a common brand. The Mafia's core activities are protection racketeering, the arbitration of disputes between criminals, and the organizing and oversight of illegal agreements and transactions.