Some of the most varied and crowded cities in the U.S. are in California. It is also home to some of the most violent and well-known gangs. Criminal groups like these work in different parts of the state and do illegal things like drug dealing, extortion, robbery, murder, and more. These are the five most dangerous gangs in California right now.
1. MS-13
MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, is a multinational gang that started in Los Angeles in the 1980s with families from El Salvador who had to leave their country because of the civil war. Since then, the gang has grown to include members from other parts of the US, Central America, Europe, and even Australia.
When MS-13 kills people, they do it traditionally and use machetes as weapons. The gang does many bad things, like trafficking people, and prostitutes, kidnapping, and smuggling drugs. About 10,000 people in the US are members of MS-13. There are a lot of them in Southern California, especially in the San Fernando Valley and the Pico-Union area.
2. Nuestra Familia
Members of the jail gang Nuestra Familia, also known as “Our Family,” got together in the late 1960s at the Soledad Correctional Training Facility. The gang has a strict set of rules and is structured like an armed group.
Most of the drug dealing and other illegal activities in Northern California are run by Nuestra Familia. This is especially true in the Central Valley and rural areas. The gang has also been at odds with the Mexican Mafia for a long time.
The Mexican Mafia is another powerful jail gang in Southern California. About 2,000 people are in or out of jail and are part of Nuestra Familia. They have a group of friends and supporters called the Norteños.
3. Crips
Crips is one of the first and biggest street gangs in the United States. It was started by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams in Los Angeles in the late 1960s. The gang is made up of different subgroups or sets, and each one has its personality, territory, and leader.
Crips is known for using the number 6, the word C, and the color blue as signs. Some of the crimes that Crips are involved in are robberies, murders, and drug deals. Crips has about 35,000 members in the US. Most of them live in Southern California, mostly in Los Angeles, Compton, Long Beach, and Inglewood.
4. The Hells Angels
Hells Angels is a motorbike club that was started in 1948 by a group of women who had served in World War II. Police think of the club as an outlaw motorcycle gang because it is involved in many crimes, including murder, drug dealing, extortion, and racketeering.
People know Hells Angels for the symbols they use, which are the color red, the letter A, and the death’s head. There are about 2,500 Hells Angels members in the US. Most of them live in California, especially in the Bay Area, San Bernardino, Ventura, and Sacramento.
5. Armenian Power
Armenian Power, or AP, is a street gang that was started in the 1980s by Armenians who moved to Los Angeles. The gang is made up of different groups, or cliques, and each one has its area and leader. They use the color black, the word P, and the Armenian flag as signs of Armenian Power.
Identity theft, fraud, extortion, and killings are just some of the crimes that Armenian Power is involved in. About 250 people in the US are members of Armenian Power. Most of them live in Southern California, mostly in Glendale, Burbank, and Hollywood.
In conclusion
These are just a few of the most dangerous gangs that are taking over California. Many more are also a danger to the state’s safety and security. Police don’t just have a problem with these gangs; people and groups who live in areas where violence and corruption are common also have a problem. It is important to make people more aware of these criminal groups and stop them from spreading. It is also important to help and give chances to young people and people from underprivileged groups who are easy for them to recruit and influence.