The indictment is the latest seeking to depict the Mafia as playing a dominant role in a local industry. Others have contended that organized crime once dominated the trucking industry that serves the garment district, the Fulton Fish Market, and huge portions of the construction industry.

In New York, commercial pickups are handled by private companies. Residential collection is handled by the city.

By Mr. Morgenthau's account, the cartel's ability to keep prices artificially high was demonstrated three years ago when Browning-Ferris Industries, one of the world's biggest waste hauling companies, tried to break into the New York market.

Browning-Ferris executives, who said they received threats, offered low enough rates to pick up about 200 customers. But hundreds of other businesses refused to switch carting companies even after Browning Ferris offered much lower bids than cartel members.

The businesses that did change companies saved huge amounts, said Mr. Morgenthau. For instance, a large office building at 55 Water Street that had been paying $100,000 a month to V. Ponte & Sons for pickups now pays only $10,000 a month to Browning-Ferris. Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center cut its monthly hauling bill from $100,000 to $40,000 by contracting with Browning-Ferris.

The District Attorney said that Browning Ferris officials cooperated with the investigation, after going to his office to say they were dismayed that their low bids were continually ignored.

Prosecutors said that during the last three years, a New York City detective worked undercover inside a company that was being extorted by the four trade associations that represent garbage haulers, and gathered information about the operations of the cartel. In addition to the activities of the undercover officer, who was not identified, investigators used wiretaps extensively and secretly recorded meetings with carting executives.