Who Is "Spanish Carmine," the Mob Associate Arrested in Recent Luchese Bust?
A man of Spanish descent was among the Luchese crime family mobsters arrested in New York in late May. Carmelo Garcia Babarro , a 65-year-old Basque from Bilbao was among the arrested Luchese mobsters. A total of 15 Luchese members and associates were arrested, one of whom was Carmelo Garcia Babarro, 65, a Basque from Bilbao, who has US citizenship ; the four others were already in prison for other crimes during the raid. The Luchese crime family's street boss, underboss and consiglieri were among the arrested. The defendants face racketeering, murder, narcotics and firearms offenses. As noted previousl y, the indictment's centerpiece is the murder of former Purple Gang boss Michael Meldish.