The Mafia, yes, the mafia. Those shady crime families that won't think twice about stabbing you in the back. We almost never hear about them in the news any more, but this poll should confirm wheher or not they're still in action.

This is serious. It's a question that's been burning in the back of my head.

[ 02-12-2004, 10:06 PM: Message edited by: The Whackmiester ]

I think they still exist, but I'd guess most of their money comes from legal sources now. I grew up with Italian neighbors, and over the years one of their sons let slip enough hints to convince me. Example: one time he said his father had some business partners visiting from New Jersey, and they came down to purchase several parcels of land in a nearby town to build restaurants. A few months later, there was a story on one of the TV news programs that Mafia families were investing in restaurants in that town. I heard "coincidences" like that all the time, enough to convince me anyway...

which mafia? are we talking the italian mafia, the russian mafia?
and I think they're still out and about, they've just become more sneaky.

They're around, stronger than they ever were before.

The mafia is growing once more in Italy. Italians have Berlusconi to thank for that.

The Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) is apparently losing a lot of power in Japan.

'Apparently?' Is there any specific case that you know of?

The Mafia is still very much alive. The question "have you ever seen Mafia in action?" seems kind of weird to me becuase you can`t really who is a mobster and who is not. Italy has Silvio Berlusconi and Andreotti.

Also in Russia now that Ivan Ribkin is back... Russian Mafia caught him and had a little chat with him. Now he`s scared and he suddenly wants to quit in politics. OK maybe there is another reason but IMO it is pretty obvious.

I read an article not too long ago about how the Yakuza is not the powerful organisation anymore that it was in the early '90's. I'll try and search for the article (although it was probably a Dutch article) so I can back up my statement.

Yeah, the mafia's still around, and when mama says eat, you eat.