Carlos Marcello basically ruled his own country. From what i understand, he had a zero tolerance policy for other wiseguys coming onto his turf. Even if they just wanted to check out Mardi Gras.they would be told by their bosses 'just don't go'. Then you have a guy like Accardo who sat atop the Mob heap in Chicago (a good sized city). He had enormous power. and made a fortune, yet he never spent so much as a single night in a cell.