[WORLD NEWS ★]
ITALIAN MAFIA LINKED TO AUSTRALIAN POLITICIANS
(P1) Links between the Italian MAFIA organization known as the ‘Ndrangheta and senior Australian politicians have been UNCOVERED in a JOINT INVESTIGATION.
(P2) The ‘Ndrangheta is one of the world’s most powerful criminal groups and is one of the major players in the world of international drug TRAFFICKING.
(P3) In Australia it OPERATES using threats and violence in both LEGITIMATE businesses, such as fruit and vegetable sales, and illegitimate businesses, such as drugs.
(P4) The investigation has REVEALED a series of contacts between known and SUSPECTED criminals and senior politicians.
(P5) The son of an ALLEGED mafia boss worked at the Australian EMBASSY in Rome.
(P6) While there is no direct evidence that the embassy PLACEMENT — which involved the man’s son working in a CLERICAL role — led to any actual SECURITY BREACHES, security agencies have described it as a major LAPSE.
(P7) In another incident, a visa was GRANTED for a crime boss who was later jailed for drug trafficking and IMPLICATED in a murder PLOT.
(P8) The man, who is the brother of a well-known Melbourne businessman, has an EXTENSIVE criminal history in Italy.
(P9) Just a couple of years later, the man was involved in one of Australia’s largest ever drug BUSTS.
(P10) Who are the ‘Ndrangheta?
(P11) A mafia group from Calabria in the south of Italy. There are thought to be ROUGHLY 6,000 members in the world today.
(P12) Whilst not as well-known as the Sicilian mafia, the ‘Ndrangheta is the most powerful criminal organisation in the world.
(P13) The group’s best-known crime was the 1973 KIDNAPPING of the grandson of oil TYCOON John Paul Getty. His ear was chopped off to GARNER a RANSOM from his grandfather.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- What benefits could criminals and politicians provide to each other?
- Government CORRUPTION is a serious issue around the world. What discussions about this issue have taken place in your country?
- Is one political party better than another, or are they all about the same?
- The Italian and Russian mafias are famous, as are the Mexican and Colombian drug CARTELS. Who do you think are the scariest criminals in the world?
EXPRESSIONS TO PRACTICE:
What do the following expressions mean? Practice using each expression in a sentence; extra points if you can use it in conversation.
- Security breach
