This article explores the evolution of the presence of Italian criminal organisations in Spain according to changes in local conditions and political perceptions. We will start by explaining some historical conditions that has put Spain at the forefront of all the charts of international trafficking routes. This will help to understand the evolution of consolidation of mafia groups in Spain under some encouraging conditions and the role that members of the Italian organisations have played in Spain during the last decades. Finally, we explore on the possible evolution of the presence of members of the mafia in view of the financial crisis that is currently affecting Spain.
Keywords: Italian criminal organisations, Spain, Mafia groups in Spain, Mafias