Cynics suggest that these thugs are in cahoots with the authorities in lucrative protection rackets.
Crime is on the rise too, and where there are black markets, mafia-type protection rackets probably follow.
To be fair, the Mafia would get the same treatment if they could legitimize their protection rackets.
Crime syndicates have seen a decline in some of their traditional sources of income, such as protection rackets.
The mundaneness of most protection rackets is no reason to be sanguine.
The threats posed by cybergangs to corporate Web sites and databases, or the protection rackets formed in Russia and Brazil, indeed seem to be very serious.
Over the past eight months, a much-publicised investigation has implicated public prosecutors, prison wardens and journalists, among others, in the gangster's drug, prostitution and protection rackets.
The Mungiki militia, which are loyal to Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe, began as a religious sect, but over the years has morphed into a gang that runs protection rackets -- particularly in the slums.
Johann Lamont (Labour) asked the first minister to act to tackle the increased problem of organised criminals using a range of unregulated private security firms which are operating protection rackets in areas of Scotland.
Such is the Russian business environment today that the men at the top often have use for the shadowy army of killers and thugs who work further down in the scale of corruption, running prostitutes and protection rackets.
They have set up protection rackets against the utilities companies by cutting power lines, damaging water pipes, destroying cellular telephone antennas and breaking into businesses, and then offering their "security services" to the firms and owners they have robbed in exchange for promises not to rob again.
Some cadres use environmental protection laws to run extortion rackets against local businesses, seeking bribes to look the other way at real or trumped-up violations.
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