From “Benkiel” to “Mafia”: On the Transformation of Local Crime Groups into Developed Structures: A Case Study
From “Benkiel” to “Mafia”: On the Transformation of Local Crime Groups into Developed Structures: A Case Study

Summary/Abstract: An ethnography of an old Warsaw bazaar is presented providing a reconstruction of the pattern of development of so-called localized “mafia” group. The beginning is in the illegal game played with participation of hidden accomplices of the player, making it impossible for a naive customer to win. This game was played for decades on the market and once Supreme Court of Poland was forced to interpret its legality, showing good knowledge of the facts of bazaars The game required permanent and complex organization. Once the economic crisis in the socialist state economy made the illegal transactions at the bazaar crucial, the organization was ready to move to other, more lucrative and more serious types of criminal economic activity.

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