 Nico Geraldi (Tomas Milian) is a tough undercover cop in the manner of Serpico. His rough and unkempt appearance belies his seriousness regarding crime and criminals. As a ring of pickpockets and thieves plagues Geraldi s city, he attempts to find the fences and criminal masterminds behind the thieves. Richard Russo (played by Jack Palance) is the crime boss. He successfully dodges the police, while he manages his criminal empire with cunning and ruthlessness. In the end, Geraldi must deal with Russo using unofficial means.