Mafia drug investment rose with market demand, not capital shortage

Evidence

Arlacchi (1983a) suggests that the mafiosi had previously been unable to compete with wealthier groups because of financial constraints but provides no evidence. In fact, money was never in short supply. According to Contorno, most of it came from the United States anyway, and from investors outside the organization (TC: 159; also TC-GdS, April 21-23, 1986). An alternative explanation is simply that the demand for heroin in both American and European markets grew during that period to unprecedented levels, and thus more mafiosi felt encouraged to invest, and to invest more. — Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Business of…, 638