San Basilio is one of Rome's suburbs, a popular neighborhood in the northeast, mostly inhabited by workers, with buildings that resemble Eastern European buildings more than the architecture of the Italian capital.
But in recent years it has become one of the most mentioned, as the main center of drug trafficking. A point of reference, along with the Tor Bella Monaca district, located further south, for all those who want drugs, in any quantity. Cocaine, heroin, marijuana, everything is found, the families connected to the Camorra or Ndrageta have divided the areas in a definite way, but the tensions for control and supremacy continue every day, with violent confrontations, murders and kidnappings, like the one of the last days of a 20-year-old, the son of the boss Danilo Valeri in a bar in the middle of Rome, by some people of African origin, who worked for opposing families.
The reprisals and police operations have changed the balance of power in this neighborhood anyway, and according to the Italian authorities, it is the Albanian gangs that are gaining more and more importance, as a long report on the case from the daily "La Republica" shows.
From low-ranking "soldiers" of mafia families like Bevilacqua, Cordaro, Marando or Esposito, Albanians have managed to climb the hierarchy by talking and doing business as equals with almost everyone. The most famous name is that of Elvis Demçe, the Albanian boss who is already serving 18 years in prison.
This relatively poor neighborhood generates tens of millions of euros from drug sales, and has refined its interception and distribution system to make it nearly impossible for law enforcement to crack down on the phenomenon. The key to gang success is resident involvement.
"The guards have their own groups on social networks, where they use terms like Fanta for the Guardia di Finanza, Coca Cola for the carabinieri and Pepsi for the policemen, when law enforcement approaches drug bases. 200 euros per day are paid for this. Meanwhile, the distributors are chosen by residents with different skills, elderly people, who provide up to 1500 euros per month, a good salary", it is described in the Italian daily. Those who do not obey the payment, or delay the borrowing, cannot avoid the confrontation with the employed Albanians, now allies, of the Italian bosses.