system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
[Star Wars] How did the Hutts become such a powerful criminal race?

Why is it when I hear about some criminal activity it is always assumed that the Hutt Cartel is up to it? How did a race of overgrown slugs get so much power in the shadows? Is it because Nal Hutta and Nar Shadaa are perfect hiding places? I have heard tales of a new faction called the Zann Consortium growing and grabbing influence over the galaxy. Should I be worried? I already don't like dealing with the Hutts.
gpt
They've had power for a long time.  A *long*, long time.  A Hutt lives for upwards of a thousand years.  In the beginning, they were lucky enough to be worshiped as gods by inferior species, and that allowed them to obtain followers.  With followers came power.

The power they hold today was all built on their power of the past.  They're a species that has dedicated followers and slaves who do all of their work for them.  So while they're pretty physically helpless, you will normally never manage to lay a hand on one.