After almost eight weeks of closed businesses and shuttered shops, many employees and small business owners are becoming desperate.

The virus may have hit the north of the country hardest, but it is a south where the informal or black economy plays a bigger role where jobs and incomes are disappearing fast.

There are already signs that organized crime is stepping forward to fill the vacuum, while the mayor of Naples says the Mafia is perfectly placed to take advantage.

I am very worried since we're already in a social and economic epidemic.

It must not become a social contagion leading to crime.

The Mafia has money and it is not bureaucratic.

It may portray itself, is the one who make sure you have food on the table on who helps you restart your business when it's in trouble.

I am concerned we risk minimizing the extent to which the Mafia can recapture economic and political power as well as people's appreciation.

Well, there is an article on the BBC news website with some amazing firsthand accounts from people linked to the Mafia who say they've been handling out, handing out food to needy families.

It's also got the stories of small businesses who have been approached by the Mafia with offers of so called help.

Sophia Betty's A is from the BBC World Service who wrote that article and joins me now, Sophia.

Thanks very much for joining us.

It was quite interesting reading your article on the details of the many people affected in the south of Italy, not to mention the business owners that you spoken to that have been approached directly by the Mafia.

What have they been telling you?

Well, you know, I spoke to someone who used to be in the Mafia, and he told me the Mafia really loves a crisis.

They caught a lots of money to stand, and right now they'll be helping Italians in need who may have lost their jobs.

And that's how the infill trade society.

So as you mentioned, I spoke to some business owners who have been approached already by the Mafia.

A restaurant owner in Sicily told me he's about to sell his restaurant, which has been shut since March and he told me, is incredibly straightforward.

Someone knocks on your door they make an offer there and then you can negotiate on the price.

A little bass and that's it.

You get the money transferred, transferred into your account in a matter of days, and that's really appealing for lots of businesses who are struggling at the moment and who don't want to be in debt.

You know, Hittle may.

Right now my business is sinking, and when someone throws a life fast, are you?

You can either choose to swim with your ideals.

Sorry, I meant sync with your ideals or swim and survive.

What is the thinking, though, that they have no alternative But for this kind of support on the black economy, this this Matthew support.

I mean, the government have said that they will loan businesses in need for some 20,000 euros or so.

But, I mean, what are the concerns that the small businesses are not taking up that kind of an offer?

Yeah, exactly as you mentioned.

The Italian government has said that they will own up to 25,000 euros to businesses in need, but many fuel that's it will be impossible to repay this because, you know, restaurants, cafes, shops, will be open in a few weeks in Italy at the beginning of June.

But they will have to do so on the very strict social distancing rules, which means fewer customers and much less money.

So many business owners I spoke to told me that they feel their only option would be to accept help from the Mafia self businesses now without many questions asked, because they feel the otherwise have being debt forever.

And, um, an anti Mafia prosecutor are interviewed told me that if the Italian government doesn't step in right now to help businesses that are drowning, they will be thrown into the arms of the Mafia.

You spoke to somebody, as you said a little earlier, that was connected to the Mafia.

Did that person give you any indication as to you know why they are stepping in to help the community and what they're hoping to get out of this apart from the obvious, which is, you know, gaining more control over people?

Yeah, I mean, I spoke to somebody who has a Mafia member who has been distributing food parcels to families in need in Italy, and that's, you know, a tactic of Barry's ancient trick that the Martha has used for decades.

It's a way for them.

Teoh gained support and to step in as an intern.

It'd to this safe and, you know, I spoke to track him down.

I spoke to him and he said to me, He gets phone calls from desperate people every single day.

Who crying on the phone?

They say they can't afford to buy food.

He talked about a woman who has five kids.

A young single mom who calls him every single day in tennis, doesn't know how to feed her kids.

And so he said to me, If being a Mafia member means I get to help women like this one, I'm proud to be a Mafia member.

But you know it just worth remembering that the Mafia has never done anything out of the goodness of their heart.

Out of generosity.

All these people that are getting helps at this time all the savers at some points they will have to pay paid, be paid back in some four.

Okay, Sophie, thank you very much for joining us on.

Just let our viewers know.

Spheres Article is on the BBC news website.

Please you take a look.

The details of her investigation are fascinating to read and showing what toe other challenges theater chains of facing Now that they're locked down, restrictions are using their.