I just remember another anecdote you might find amusing.

I was teaching English in Slovakia in 1993. My students were telling me that the Slovak government "sold" three hotels in Piestany, a resort town noted for its spa. They told me that one hotel was sold to a Russian mafia; one to a Serbian mafia; another to a Croatian mafia. These mafias did not like each other, and my students told me that Piestany was the murder capital of Slovakia with the mafia violence.

I told my students that they were watching too many American movies.

Then I went to Piestany. I did see a fleet of black limousines pull up to one the hotels--and out came about eight well dressed tough guys. They soldiered into the hotel while the drivers moved the limousines somewhere else. An impressive display of power. I doubt the godfather went off by himself anywhere.