At the age of sixteen, Santo Russo leaves Calabria with his mother and younger brother to join his father, a former member of the 'Ndrangheta who was expelled from the organization due to a transgression. The family settles in Romano Banco, a suburb of Milan, where Santo begins working as a porter and befriends Mario Barbieri, the son of the local deli owner. During this time, he also starts learning the Milanese dialect. However, Santo finds himself surrounded by key figures in Milan's criminal underworld, including 'Ndrangheta affiliates from his hometown, operating under the control of the powerful Gaetani family.
On New Year’s Eve, while his family celebrates at home with new friends, also from Calabria, Santo and Mario wander drunkenly through the streets of Milan. They are stopped by the police near a stolen Lambrettascooter and become suspects. After proving their innocence, the police contact their parents, but Santo’s father refuses to acknowledge him, leading to Santo spending four months in the Beccaria juvenile detention center. There, he befriends "Slim", another young Calabrian inmate serving time for robberies, forging a strong relationship that evolves into a partnership in criminal ventures.
From robberies to kidnappings and heroin production, Santo rises through the criminal ranks, forging ties with the 'Ndrangheta in Lombardy. His ascent ultimately ends when he chooses to cooperate with law enforcement.
