California boasts a wide range of bustling cities, as well as being a hub for dangerous gang activity. These criminal organizations are active in different regions and sectors of the state, involved in drug trafficking, extortion, robbery, murder, and other illegal activities. These are five of the most notorious gangs currently gaining control in California.
MS-13
MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, started in Los Angeles in the 1980s by Salvadoran immigrants escaping the civil war in their country. The group has now grown to include other regions in the US, Central America, Europe, and Australia. MS-13 is infamous for its extreme violence, ritualistic murders, and reliance on machetes as weapons. The gang participates in a range of criminal activities, including human trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping, and drug smuggling. MS-13 boasts around 10,000 members in the United States, with a significant influence in Southern California, particularly in the San Fernando Valley and the Pico-Union area.
Our Family
Our Family, also known as Nuestra Familia, originated in the late 1960s within the Soledad Correctional Training Facility by Mexican-American prisoners. The gang operates with a paramilitary structure and enforces a strict code of conduct. Nuestra Familia dominates the drug trade and other criminal operations in Northern California, particularly in rural regions and the Central Valley. The gang has a long-standing rivalry with the Mexican Mafia, another prison gang that dominates Southern California. Nuestra Familia consists of around 2,000 members who are either in prison or on the outside, along with a group of associates and allies called the Norteños.
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Crips
Crips is a prominent and long-standing street gang in the US, established in Los Angeles in the late 1960s by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams. The gang consists of different subgroups or sets, each having its unique identity, territory, and leadership. Crips use the color blue, the letter C, and the number 6 as symbols. Crips are engaged in a variety of criminal activities, including robbery, murder, and drug dealing. Crips boasts around 35,000 members in the United States, with a significant influence in Southern California, particularly in Los Angeles, Compton, Long Beach, and Inglewood.
Hells Angels
Hells Angels, established in California in 1948 by a band of World War II veterans, is a motorcycle club. Law enforcement agencies label the club as an outlaw motorcycle gang due to its involvement in crimes like drug trafficking, extortion, racketeering, and murder. Hells Angels is recognized for its utilization of the color red, the letter A, and the death’s head logo as symbols. Hells Angels boasts around 2,500 members in the US, with a significant presence in California, particularly in the Bay Area, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Sacramento.
Armenian Power
Armenian Power, also known as AP, originated in the 1980s in Los Angeles and was established by Armenian immigrants. The gang consists of different factions or cliques, each having their own territory and leaders. Armenian Power is recognized for its utilization of the color black, the letter P, and the Armenian flag as symbols. Armenian Power engages in a range of criminal activities, including identity theft, fraud, extortion, and murder. Armenian Power has around 250 members in the US, mainly concentrated in Southern California, particularly in Glendale, Burbank, and Hollywood.
In conclusion
Here are some of the most dangerous gangs currently gaining control in California, with many others also endangering the state’s safety and security. These gangs pose a challenge for both law enforcement agencies and the communities and individuals impacted by their violence and corruption. We must focus on increasing awareness and stopping the expansion of these criminal organizations. It’s also crucial to offer assistance and opportunities to young people and marginalized communities at risk of being recruited or influenced by them.
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