Civil Society/Crime/Theme/Northeast Philly Irish Mob/Overview

 Shortly after the conclusion of the second world war, organized crime enjoyed something of a renaissance in Philadelphia. Rough men returned from war, jaded by their adventures in Europe and the Pacific, and resentful of life in the racialized neighborhoods to which they were returning. For many of the Irish in Northeast Philadelphia, the appeal of organized crime far exceeded the monotony of wage slavery and eight hours on some shop floor. The working class roots of Northeast Philadelphia grew people tough and cynical, and made the wealthy neighborhoods surrounding them appealing targets. In short order, the K&A Gang arose.

 The K&A Gang-- short for the Kensington & Allegheny, the intersection where the gang originated --began as a network of loosely affiliated burglary rings. Small groups of Irish gangsters would dress in suits and burglarize wealthy homes, particularly in Philadelphia's Jewish neighborhoods. They did so unarmed, as armed burglary carried a much heftier sentence. The suits, they reasoned, would help defray suspicion should they be caught out in the open. It worked. Between the post war period and 1970, the K&A gang operated almost entirely off the proceeds of their burglaries and subsequent liquidation of stolen property.

 In the 1970's, the money to be made from burglary was on the decline. The economy was in the tank, and people were once again desperate. It was then that the K&A Gang turned to narcotics, particularly to amphetemines. By the 1980's, Philadelphia was in the running as the Meth capital of the world, a fact fueled heavily by the K&A Gang and its affiliates. With the violence and armaments necessary to defend a drug market, the K&A Gang became more appropriately known as the Northeast Philly Irish Mafia. They branched into typical organized crime activities; loansharking, racketeering, illegal gambling, and so on. They also began official ties with the Irish Republican Army, funneling cash and arms in both directions.

 Today, the Northeast Philly Irish Mafia is experiencing a crisis of self. The city has cracked down heavily on the Meth trade, putting the mob at odds with others in the business, such as the Warlocks MC. And the peace process in Ireland has put an end much of their arms smuggling into and out of the country. The old standbys are once more coming into fashion, as sports gambling, racketeering, loansharking, and burglary once more form the meat of the mob's income. They would love a new gravy train, however, and are on the lookout for the Next Big Thing.