The Prohibition era which started on 17 January 1919,
when the Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S Constitution was ratified and ended in
1933 when the amendment was repealed, provided an extra source of income for
criminals. The Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale and transportation of
alcoholic beverages, but as there was still demand for alcoholic beverages so bootleggers
fulfilled this demand. Around this time Luciano, worked for Arnold Rothstein.
Luciano wanted to collaborate with other gangsters to cut
down the cost of political protection and reducing the likelihood of hijacked
shipments, thus increasing his profits and territory. However Giuseppe “Joe The
Boss” Masseria prevented Luciano from taking the path.
In 1921 Luciano began a bootlegging operation with Vito Genovese
and Frank Costello, his longtime friend, business partner and eventually Underboss.
He first met with them and many other mafia leaders through his involvement in
the Five Points Gang.
Luciano and his partners ran the largest bootlegging operation
in New York, one that also extended into Philadelphia. He imported scotch
directly from Scotland, rum from the Caribbean, and whiskey from Canada.
Luciano was also involved in gambling. By 1925 Lucky Luciano was grossing over
$12 million a year; however he was netting much less due to the high costs of
political protection.
 |
| Arnold Rothstein |
