Tampa’s Dark Past: The ‘Era of Blood’ Chronicles Two Mafia Bosses At War
Back in the 1920’s the mafia was at war in Ybor City with gangsters taking over the streets of Tampa until the 1960s and 70s. The crime between two different mob bosses. One was engulfed in the gambling scene and the others were bootleggers leaving several murders and crimes intertwined. At its mid-century peak, organized crime rings controlled everything from gambling to prostitution and political corruption. All of this also included election rigging, unions, and murders. Two major mob bosses fighting the power in Tampa with mass casualties everywhere.
‘Era Of Blood’: Two Tampa Mafia Bosses At War
A report from BayNews9 describes the ‘Era of Blood’ as an embedded part of Tampa’s history. The stories of these ruthless gangsters trying to gain control of illegal Bolita gambling and liquor sales during Prohibition. These two mobster rivals controlled the narcotics trade and had a major influence across Florida and even into Cuba. The infamous “Era of Blood” infamously happened when 25 gangsters were gunned down in the streets all battling for power. The different gangsters from Italian, Cuban, and Anglo underworld factions were at war from the 1920s to the ’50s.
Tampa-born major crime boss Santo Trafficante Jr., took over the Sicilian Mafia in the entire state of Florida. In 1954 his father built a criminal empire which made every mobster jealous all over the country. BayNews9 says, “Trafficante famously never spent a night in an American jail.” Trafficante died in 1987 during a surgery that went wrong and after that, the height of Tampa’s mob scene was gone. There’s a lot of rich history in the Tampa Bay area! Tours are available in the area where you can discover more about their vast history. They broke down the biggest mobsters that lived in the area and controlled booze, prostitution, gambling, and even elections. Watch this video below to find out more…
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