Thu, Jan 3, 2008
Gangs have been in existence for as long as there have been humans. Daryl Gates, former Los Angeles Chief of Police suggests that there is something about human nature that draws many toward gangs-- the need for respect, security and acceptance. It makes little difference whether the country is totalitarian or democratic, whether the time is feudal or current.
Thu, Nov 15, 2007
In 2003, the body of a pregnant, teenaged informant was found along the banks of the bucolic Shenandoah River. She'd been repeatedly stabbed - her head nearly severed. Brenda Paz had been supplying the authorities with first-hand accounts of MS-13's operations. Paz had been one of 3,000 MS-13 members in the Washington, DC area.
Thu, Apr 3, 2008
The Texas Syndicate. They are the most feared Tejano gang in the Lone Star State, yet few have heard of them. The Syndicate is managed like an elite business, with a reach that extends from behind prison walls to the far corners of Texas. They will break any law to generate revenue but the gang's bread and butter is drug trafficking for the Mexican cartels.
Thu, Nov 5, 2009
Just east of LA are the wide open roads of San Bernardino County that are ruled by one gang - The Vagos. With more than 500 members, the Vagos are one of the largest and most deadly motorcycle gangs in the country. Their name, which means "traveling gypsy" in Spanish, strikes fear into the hearts of rivals.
Aug 2010
With an estimated 2500 members and powerful criminal connections, Florencia-13 or F-13 is L.A.'s largest and deadliest Hispanic gang. The gang is one of the oldest in L.A.'s notorious South Central neighborhood. When rivals threaten to move in on their lucrative drug trade, they use any means necessary to protect their empire.
Thu, Nov 1, 2007
American Gangster is the story of Frank Lucas and Leroy "Nicky" Barnes - their rise from street punks to the top of New York's 1970's high-flying drug market. The two men were considered the drug czars of Harlem at the height of the drug-fueled decade. Lucas and his gang "The Country Boys" claim to have smuggled heroin from Asia in the caskets of fallen American soldiers.
Fri, Feb 19, 2010
Logan Heights is the most notorious Hispanic street gang in San Diego. With over 400 soldiers, the gang outnumbers all of their enemies combined. Logan Heights makes its money selling marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines on the streets of the city. The gang has a storied history as the hit squad for one of the most feared drug organizations in the world?The Tijuana Cartel.