John Ambrosio (pictured above in an old mugshot) is the most senior of the men arrested. He is a captain in the Gambino families and is 74

Seven members of two of New York's most notorious crime families have been arrested on a slew of charges which include racketeering, drug trafficking, loansharking and illegal gambling.

The men are members of the Gambino and Bonnano families and are accused of contributing to each's criminal empire in Long Island between 2014 and 2017.

The oldest is John 'Johnny Boy' Ambrosio, a captain in the Gambino family, who is 74.

The others are Thomas Anzalone, 44, Alessandro 'Sandro' Damelio, 49, Joseph Durso, 26, Anthony Rodolico, 46, Anthony Saladino, 67 and Frank 'Frankie Boy' Salerno, 43.

Prosecutors say Salerno is a 'soldier' in the Bonnano family whereas all of the other men are associates or members of the Gambino family.

Both are part of La Cosa Nostra, a famed five-family criminal organisation which allows each family to co-exist and operate harmoniously. They were all arraigned at court in Central Islip, New York, on Tuesday.

In a 24-page indictment, the US Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of New York alleged that the men were all part of a widespread criminal enterprise which straddled different parts of New York and involved dozens of associates.

There were several references to murder and the men's alleged willingness to commit it but none have been charged with it.

All face racketeering charges for allegations that they ran illegal gambling businesses by operating unlicensed machines, running illicit poker games and facilitating online sports bets.

They referred to one gambling parlour as 'the club' or 'bank' and allegedly made notes of how much each patron won and when. They are also accused of taking bets on baseball games.

Frank 'Frankie Boy' Salerno, 43, (above in an old mugshot) is another of those accused. He is a 'soldier' in the Bonnano family, according to prosecutors

Five of the men - Anzalone, Damelio, Durso, Saladino and Salerno - are accused of drug trafficking offenses for allegedly selling cocaine, marijuana and Xanax in large quantities.

Prosecutors say Salerno and Saladino sourced the drugs in kilograms then sold it to the others to be distributed.

Between February and June 2016, one undercover agent claims to have bought almost a kilogram from them in 12 different sales.

On one occasion, the agent says he paid $1,250 for an ounce of cocaine.

Ambrosio is also accused of heading up a loansharking division in the family which allegedly involved him and others using violent methods to collect debt.

After illegally loaning out the money, prosecutors say they discussed how to collect on it on the phone.

In one recorded conversation, Saladino and Anzalone allegedly talked about giving one indebted person 'something to be scared about'.

In other phone calls, they allegedly talked about telling them 'who their friends were' and 'opening their a**es up' to instill fear in debtors.

Saladino, 67, once allegedly pleaded with Ambrosio to be let loose, telling him: 'I haven't had a f****** fight since my hip went out on me, but I'm gonna put him in his place.'

Anthony Saladino (pictured during a previous incarceration in an undated photograph) is also facing charges

In another exchange, one of the men allegedly boasted about telling a victim: 'If you don’t give me my f****** money… I don’t know if you know who I am and where I come from, but I promise you, you will never walk again.

'So get me my s**t, or else I swear to God you’re done.'

In another recorded call, Saladino is alleged to have told a victim: 'Don't do this to me, you c******er.

'You make sure you get your a** there at eleven o'clock today and see my friend.'

The indictment also reveals how the family structured the organization.

'Only members of The Gambino crime family could serve as a boss, underboss, consigliere, captain or soldier.

'Members of the crime family were referred to on occasion as "goodfellas" or "wiseguys," or as persons who had been "straightened out" or who had their "button."

THE CHARGES John 'Johnny Boy' Ambrosio, 74 Racketeering Collection of unlawful debt Extortionate extension of credit (loan sharking) x 6 Illegal gambling Obstruction of justice x 2 Thomas Anzalone, 44 Racketeering Collection of unlawful debt Extortionate extension of credit x 5 Conspiracy to distribute cocaine Alessandro Damelio, 49 Racketeering Illegal gambling Conspiracy to distribute Alazopram (Xanax) Joseph Durso, 26 Racketeering Illegal gambling Conspiracy to distribute marijuana Conspiracy to distribute Alazopram (Xanax) Anthony Rodolico, 46 Racketeering Extortionate extension of credit x4 Obstruction of justice x 2 Anthony Saladino, 67 Racketeering Collection of unlawful debt Extortionate extension of credit x 4 Illegal gambling Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Distribution of Cocaine Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana Conspiracy to Distribute Alprazolam (Xanax) Frank 'Frankie Boy' Salerno, 43 Racketeering Illegal Gambling Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Distribution of Cocaine Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana Advertisement

'Associates (as opposed to members) were individuals who were not members of the crime family, but who nonetheless engaged in criminal activity for, and under the protection of, the crime family,' it said.

Prosecutors asked that none of the men be granted bail, claiming all were a flight risk and dangerous to the community.

They said Ambrosio, Anzalone and Rodolico, Saladino and Salerno should remain behind bars while awaiting trial and that Durso and Damelio ought only to be allowed out of jail after posting 'a substantial bail package'.

Investigators used witness testimony and wire taps to put the case together.

Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said the indictment 'sends a message' to La Cosa Nostra.

'As alleged, the defendants engaged in a wide range of illegal and violent conduct in furtherance of their criminal enterprise.

'The superseding indictment sends a message that this Office, together with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to diminishing these organized crime families and their deleterious effect on our communities,' she said in a statement.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney said the families still posed as much of a threat to the community as they did in previous decades when they were more prolific.

'The overt deadly attacks that used to make headlines aren’t as prevalent, but their violent tactics haven’t changed.

'Members of these families should take heed that the FBI Organized Crime Task Force and our law enforcement partners haven’t gone away, and we dedicate resources each and every day to putting these criminals in jail,' he said.

The Gambino family boss, rumored to be Frank Cali, was not included in the indictment nor was Michael 'The Nose' Manusco, the rumored head of the Bonnano family.

No one from the Colombo, Genovese, Lucchese families, the other three involved in the New York syndicate of La Cosa Nostra, were involved.

If convicted, Ambrosio, Anzalone, Damelio, Durso and Rodolico face a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Saladino and Salerno each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for the cocaine conspiracy offenses.