Tampa was once the epicenter of mob activity in the Southeastern United States. Cigar City Mafia: A Complete History of the Tampa Underworld by Scott Deitche gives a complete account of the underworld in Tampa which was fueled by gambling, drug running and bootlegging. The book provides a narrative about people and places in the history of the mob in the area. It’s a difficult read quite frankly, but as a Florida history buff I labored through it since it provided a view of Florida I was largely unfamiliar with.

As someone who is strongly opposed to the expansion of gambling in this state, I have long feared the relationship between organized crime and gambling interests. This book paints a pretty clear picture of those ties as well as the connection between Tampa’s mafia and drug running from the Caribbean.

If you are interested in the history of Tampa, it is a worth a read though I must confess the narrative is choppy at points and often is highly repetitive.