VOA常速英语2008年-Calabrian Mafia Leader Nabbed

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
19 February 2008

Italian police have arrested the leader of the Calabrian mafia, which has parlayed drug trafficking to become more powerful than the more famous Sicilian mob.  Clan¹ feuds² of the powerful 'Ndrangheta organized crime syndicate have bloodied³ the southern Italian region for years.  Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

Pasquale Condello had been on the run for more than 20 years.  Known as 'the supremo," the 57-year-old was the top boss of the powerful 'Ndrangheta organized crime syndicate.  He has been sentenced to life in prison four times.

Italian police arrested him in an apartment in the center of the regional capital, Reggio, Calabria. He was armed but offered no resistance.

Interior Minister Giuliano Amato calls the arrest "the latest, extraordinary operation against organized crime."   Police called Condello  "the Provenzano of Calabria," comparing him to the boss of bosses of the Sicilian mafia, Bernardo Provenzano, who was arrested in April 2006.

General Giampaolo Ganzer is head of the Special Operations Unit of the Carabinieri, responsible for his arrest.  He says Condello headed a ruthless criminal organization that also had a powerful military capability⁴.

Ganzer says Condello's leadership was recognized by all the clans⁵ in the Reggio Calabria area, now grouped under a cartel that answered to his authority.  All the business of the Calabrian 'Ndrangheta was decided⁶ by Condello or had his backing.

Italian investigators⁷ believe the 'Ndrangheta controls cocaine⁸ trafficking in many parts of Europe.  The organized crime syndicate made headlines in Europe, last year, when six young Italians were gunned down after eating in a pizzeria in the German city, Duisburg. 

1 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

2 feuds   

n.长期不和，世仇( feud的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Quarrels and feuds between tribes became incessant. 部落间的争吵、反目成仇的事件接连不断。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• There were feuds in the palace, no one can deny. 宫里也有斗争，这是无可否认的。 来自辞典例句

3 bloodied   

v.血污的( bloody的过去式和过去分词 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• His pants leg was torn and bloodied when he fell. 他跌交时裤腿破了，还染上了血。 来自辞典例句

4 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

5 clans   

宗族( clan的名词复数 )； 氏族； 庞大的家族； 宗派

参考例句：

• There are many clans in European countries. 欧洲国家有很多党派。
• The women were the great power among the clans [gentes], as everywhere else. 妇女在克兰〈氏族〉里，乃至一般在任何地方，都有很大的势力。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。