The German authorities fear that they have only scratched the surface of a powerful "atomic mafia" with connections to the nuclear power industry in Russia, and possibly also with disgruntled members of the security services there.

It is also one of many lawless places in Mexico where the authorities have tacitly ceded control to powerful mafias and thugs.

Kosovo has no army, only a fledgling police force and powerful mafias.

Yō Hinomura, a Japanese potter, comes into the possession of some film showing an assassination by an agent of the 108 Dragons, a powerful Chinese mafia.

The Al-Zein Clan (also known as Al-Zein Family or El-Zein) is a powerful mafia family-clan based in Europe.

We must therefore stand up to these international organisations, these powerful mafias, which deliberately try to take advantage of loopholes in the law, problems in cooperation and the extremely high demand in the countries concerned.

Carlo Rota as Don Giuseppe "Papa Joe" Yakavetta, leader of a powerful mafia in Boston.

The powerful local mafia is made up of Hasidic Jews with payess, long curling sidelocks.

One senior city official said it was suspected that the trail of evidence might lead to the powerful Russian mafia.