Drawing on a set of empirical data, including in-depth interviews with law enforcers and public prosecutors, the article provides preliminary and detailed information on the structure, social organization of actors and financial management of cocaine trafficking in Italy. The article aims to increase knowledge on the financing mechanisms of organized crime activities and uses the Italian cocaine market as a case example. The findings suggest that the national market is fragmented into an interplay of actors who belong to upper, middle or low segments, depending on the level of the trafficking operations (that is, large, medium, small scale), that join as criminal networks to lower risks and maximize profits. These networks are mainly based on family, kinship or ethnic ties or relations built in other social/work settings. Cocaine trafficking operations are financed by both legal and illegal capital whose boundaries are blurred especially when organized crime groups are involved. Settlement of payments in cocaine trafficking operations reflects the level of trust between buyers and suppliers, with credit arrangements often set in longstanding business relationships or, at the other extreme, at the retail level to test clients’ reliability. The findings also add knowledge to existing research, improve the understanding and representation of organized crime, and contribute to enhance prevention and control activities of law enforcers, prosecutors and policy makers at the European and international level.

本文利用一系列经验数据，包括对执法人员和检察官的深入采访，提供了有关意大利可卡因贩运的结构，行为者的社会组织和财务管理的初步和详细信息。本文旨在增加对有组织犯罪活动筹资机制的了解，并以意大利可卡因市场为例。研究结果表明，根据贩运活动的水平（即大，中，小规模），全国市场被细分为上层，中层或低层参与者的相互作用，这些犯罪分子作为犯罪网络加入降低风险并实现利润最大化。这些网络主要基于家庭，亲属或种族纽带或在其他社会/工作环境中建立的关系。可卡因的贩运活动由合法资本和非法资本提供资金，其边界模糊不清，特别是在涉及有组织犯罪集团时。可卡因贩运活动中的付款结算反映了买卖双方之间的信任程度，通常在长期的业务关系中设置信贷安排，或者在零售级别中设置信贷安排以测试客户的可靠性。调查结果还增加了现有研究的知识，增进了对有组织犯罪的了解和代表性，并有助于在欧洲和国际一级加强执法人员，检察官和政策制定者的预防和控制活动。可卡因贩运活动中的付款结算反映了买卖双方之间的信任程度，通常在长期的业务关系中设置信贷安排，或者在零售级别中设置信贷安排以测试客户的可靠性。调查结果还增加了现有研究的知识，增进了对有组织犯罪的了解和代表性，并有助于在欧洲和国际一级加强执法人员，检察官和政策制定者的预防和控制活动。可卡因贩运活动中的付款结算反映了买卖双方之间的信任程度，通常在长期的业务关系中设置信贷安排，或者在零售级别中设置信贷安排以测试客户的可靠性。调查结果还增加了现有研究的知识，增进了对有组织犯罪的了解和代表性，并有助于在欧洲和国际一级加强执法人员，检察官和政策制定者的预防和控制活动。