In 1988, the FBI launched "Operation Uproot," a covert investigation targeting the Genovese crime family's lucrative garbage-hauling racket in New York City. Undercover agents infiltrated the family's operations, gaining access to vital information and evidence. The FBI used sophisticated surveillance techniques, including wiretaps and video surveillance, to document the family's illegal activities. The investigation revealed that the family controlled the garbage-hauling industry through extortion, bid-rigging, and illegal dumping. Armed with overwhelming proof, the FBI arrested 24 members of the Genovese family, including boss Vincent Gigante, and charged them with racketeering and other offenses. The arrests effectively dismantled the family's garbage-hauling racket, dealing a significant blow to their criminal enterprise.
