At least since the 1950s, these annual meetings have traditionally served as a forum to discuss future strategies and settle disputes among the
locali. The assembly exercises weak supervisory powers over the activities of all 'Ndrangheta groups. Strong emphasis was placed on the temporary character of the position of the
crimine boss. A new representative was elected at each meeting. In July 2010, Italian police arrested the actual
capo crimine:
Domenico Oppedisano, an 80-year-old Ndrangheta boss from
Rosarno. Investigations showed that he had been appointed at the marriage of two children of bosses in August 2009 attended by 2,000 people. The marriage was between Elisa Pelle – the daughter of
Giuseppe Pelle and granddaughter of
Antonio Pelle "Gambazza", the former
capo crimine from San Luca who died in November 2009 of natural causes – and Giuseppe Barbaro, the son of Pasquale Barbaro and the scion of the eponymous
Barbaro 'ndrina from
Platì. The election of Oppedisano had not been easy. According to police investigations the power behind Oppedisano was
Vincenzo Pesce, the head of the
Pesce 'ndrina in Rosarno. On the other hand, Giuseppe Pelle aspired to replace his ailing father Antonio
Gambazza Pelle as
capo crimine and keep the title in San Luca at the risk of triggering a conflict between clans. However, Vincenzo Pesce felt that the nomination of Pelle would distort the equilibrium in the 'Ndrangheta and threatened to form a separate organization taking some 30
locali – local 'Ndrangheta organisations – with him. As a result, Oppedisano became the
capo crimine instead of Pelle. Oppedisano assumed power at a banquet held at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Polsi in September that year. In one wiretapped conversation he talked of 1,000 affiliates attending the meeting. In the course of the investigation, dubbed "Il crimine", the
capo crimine also appeared to be the nominal head of the 'Ndrangheta Commission, known as
La Provincia. ==References==