Gangs have been terrorizing communities and fighting for turf for aslong as street crime has been around. Today’s gangs have evolved into morepowerful and sophisticated groups that will do just about anything and killjust about anyone for a quick buck. According to the 2011 National Gang ThreatAssessment, there are approximately 1.4 million gang members roaming thestreets and operating in prisons in the United States. Out of the tens ofthousands of gangs in the world, these 10 have caused the most danger in the21st century.
The Latin Kings is one of the largest and most dangerous Latino streetgangs in the country. The Latin Kings formed in Chicago during the 1940s andhave grown exponentially through the years. The Latin Kings’ chapters operatein at least 31 states, 158 cities, and have spread to all of Latin America,Spain, and other parts of Europe. Today, the Kings are as violent and ruthlessas ever — many of the leaders and members have been indicted for mass murders,million-dollar drug trafficking operations, and federal weapons charges.
The Trinitarios are a New York-based Hispanic gang that was establishedin the state prison system during the early ’90s. The Trinitarios are the fastestgrowing gang in the New York/New Jersey area, and their operations haveextended to at least 10 other states, in addition to Spain and the DominicanRepublic. The Trinitarios, also called Trinitarians, are involved in a range ofstreet crime, including racketeering, gun trafficking, narcotics, androbberies. Unlike most large gangs, the Trinitarios are not affiliated withother gangs and its rival gangs include the Bloods, Crips, the Latin Kings, andDominicans Don’t Play.
The New Dons, also known as Goodfellas and One Twenty-Nine, is adangerous street gang that operates around West 129th Street in the Harlemneighborhood of New York. The gang is known for their wide collection offirearms, which they use to intimidate rivals. In November 2011, 19 of the NewDons members were arrested and charged with conspiracy, and some were chargedwith weapons possession, firearms trafficking, and attempted murder.
MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) is arguably one of the deadliest and mostpowerful gangs in the country. MS-13 has one of the largest membershipsnationwide with operations in at least 42 states and the District of Columbia.MS-13 members mostly consist of Salvadorans or first generationSalvadoran-Americans, as well as Hondurans, Guatemalans, Mexicans, and otherCentral and South American immigrants. The gang has a reputation for committingextremely violent crimes, using a wide range of weapons and intimidation tactics.
The Aryan Brotherhood gang has been committing heinous crimes insidefederal prisons for more than 40 years, but the gang has gained an even biggerand more dangerous presence during the 21st century. The Aryan Brotherhoodbegan as a hate group/gang that targeted and often murdered non-whiteprisoners, but has since shifted its focus to crimes that are not solelymotivated by race. Today, the Aryan Brotherhood has more than 15,000 membersthroughout the U.S., and its criminal activity ranges from murder, narcoticstrafficking, and extortion to gambling, robbery, and intimidation.
The Wave Gang and their rivals, the Hood Starz, have been terrorizingthe neighborhood of Brownsville, Brooklyn for years. Both gangs have beeninvolved in a number of murders, assaults, robberies, and other illegalactivity. A total of 43 members from each gang were recently arrested andindicted after bragging on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube about a deadlyshooting that killed three people and injured several others.
Insane M.O.B. (aka Money Over Bitches) is a modern-day gang that isallied with a group of Chicago gangs called "Folk Nation." In October2010, 29 members of Insane M.O.B. were arrested in Orange County, Fla., fortheir involvement in homicides, murder-for-hire plots, drug trafficking, arson,gun sales, and other criminal activity within the area.
The Red Scorpions is a violent drug-trafficking gang based in BritishColumbia, Canada. The gang was allegedly formed by Quang Vinh Le in 2000, whilehe was incarcerated at a Vancouver detention center. The Red Scorpions comefrom different multicultural backgrounds and are identified by the"RS" tattoos on their neck, shoulders, and wrists. Since theirformation, the Scorpions have been involved in a large cocaine traffickingoperation and many homicides, including the slaughtering of six people in 2008.
The 18th Street gang is a Los Angeles-based street gang that has becomeone of the largest and most ruthless organizations in the country and possiblyin the world. The Latino gang is considered to be the largest street gang inLA, and its members can be found in 37 states, as well as Mexico and CentralAmerica. The violent gang has been around for decades, but its growingmembership and generations of gang leaders have kept it alive and strong. The18th Street gang is involved in all areas of street crimes and has been linkedto more than 250 homicides in Los Angeles over the last 10 years.
The Mexican Mafia is one of the oldest and most dominant prison gangsin the country. The violent gang formed in California’s prisons in the late’50s and has since expanded to federal prison systems in Texas, Arizona, NewMexico, and Mexico. The Mexican Mafia is involved in a number of criminalactivities inside and outside of prison, such as murder, extortion, drugtrafficking, and has had a longstanding rivalry with the Black Guerilla Family.The group reigns over almost every Chicano gang in Southern California and theyare obligated to carry out all orders from the Mexican Mafia or risk the chanceof being murdered.
Contacts and sources:
Jay Smith
http://www.criminaljusticedegreesguide.com/features/the-10-most-dangerous-gangs-of-the-21st-century.html
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