Extra time for ’Ndrangheta Mafia figures

Dracea spoke for more than five minutes.

Giuseppe 'Pino' Ursino, 65, of Bradford, Ont., named as the boss of ’Ndrangheta Mafia, was sentenced to 12½ years while his co-accused, Cosmo 'Chris' Dracea, 42, of Toronto, was sentenced to 10 years. Both were sentenced to extra long prison terms because of their mob ties. Ursino had 6½ years added to his six-year drug sentence; Dracea had four years tacked on. At the end of their landmark organized crime trial they were asked by the judge if they wished to speak. Ursino, through an Italian translator, said he wasn't up to it.

Despite the notoriety of the ’Ndrangheta as one of the most dangerous global crime threats, this case is the first in Canada of a superior court declaring it to be a criminal organization since anti-gangsterism legislation was adopted 20 years ago. Ursino was convicted, among other charges, for trafficking cocaine and conspiracy to import cocaine related to a criminal organization; Dracea was convicted for trafficking of cocaine as well as conspiracy to import cocaine related to a criminal organization.

See ----->‘Ndrangheta crime boss Ursino guilty of cocaine trafficking for criminal organization