Rome, Italy – January 8, 1949 – The once-feared underboss of New York’s underworld, Charles ‘Lucky’ Luciano, has exploded in outrage over fresh narcotics charges. The 51-year-old Sicilian-born crime boss, deported from the United States in 1946 for his involvement in white slavery, narcotics peddling, and other counts, vehemently denied any involvement in the illicit trade. This latest move by U.S. Customs officials, led by Supervising Customs Agent Charles E. Wyatt, who described Luciano as a key figure in all illegal transfers of narcotics from Italy and other Mediterranean countries to the United States, has left Luciano seething with anger. ‘It looks like an old-style frame-up,’ he fumed to a reporter. ‘I’ve been living clean and proper here, with nothing to hide. It’s disgraceful.’ Luciano, who spent eight months in Italy, including the first six weeks in jail, after his deportation, received a passport and a return ticket to the United States. But it seems his troubles are far from over.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: National
- Category: Organized Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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