Because Catania is on the border of traditional mafia territory, where the mafia's monopoly is less secure than in western Sicily, customers there have been able to exercise more choice than in Palermo. Catania is notable for the existence of three independent protection groups—the Cursoti, the Carcagnusi, and the Malpassoti—which are not part of the mafia cartel. … According to Calderone, a large building contractor "was protected by an important man from the Cursoti gang." A dealer in wholesale fish "had a small entourage of undistinguished delinquents, from whom he was receiving protection and to whom he gave a lot of money"

XREF: Connects to economic theories of competitive markets versus monopolistic violence, and to the broader theme of how mafia cartels control territory.

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 418