That's one thing the Mafia can claim over other groups or gangs, history! They go back ages, eons! Latin Kings, Bloods, Crips, La Eme, Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, most gangs can't claim ancient history. A few other examples are Triads and Yakuza, they go back to ancient times.
Correct! Cosa Nostra, the Mafia, Camorra and N'drangheta go back eons. And as you mentioned, so do the Japanese Yakuza and Chinese Triads.
Also, at their peak, each of the aforementioned criminal organizations were/are also on the "next" level -- many levels -- above all other types of criminals gangs.
All the rest of these "gangs" you mentioned are just that, low-class gloried street "gangs" and nothing more. And regardless of how many gutter rats they add to their memberships or how wide a net they cast across the country, they will never hold the power and influence the Italian and Asian mobs reached at their peak....Its not even a close call!
The "traditional" mob controlled -- and in some ways still control -- entire industries, national labor unions from the presidency on down, Las Vegas casinos, major multimillion-dollar corporations, thousands upon thousands of important businesses all across the country, across the world, entire banking institutions, Wall Street brokerages, major politicians reaching all the way up into the Whitehouse, and the Italian Government, etc., etc., etc.
And thats not even counting in the myriad of multibillion-dollar criminal rackets they maintained an ironclad grip over!
....Pleeeeez! There is NO comparison!
Even the Colombians with their worldwide heroin and cocaine networks that generated zillions have never come close to achieving that kind of overall power.
