A drug cartel is any
criminal organization
Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...
with the intention of supplying
drug trafficking
A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...
operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized
commercial enterprise
Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or buying and selling products (such as goods and services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for profit."
Having a business name does not separat ...
s. The term was applied when the largest trafficking organizations reached an agreement to coordinate the production and distribution. The term is used to refer to any criminal narcotics related organization.
The basic structure of a drug cartel is as follows:
* Falcons (Spanish: ''Halcones''): Considered as the "eyes and ears" of the streets, the "falcons" are the lowest rank in any drug cartel. They are responsible for supervising and reporting the activities of the police, the military and rival groups.
* Hitmen (Spanish: ''Sicarios''): The armed group within the drug cartel, responsible for carrying out assassinations, kidnappings, thefts and extortions, operating protection rackets, as well as
defending their ''plaza'' (turf) from rival groups and the military.
* Lieutenants (Spanish: ''Tenientes''): The second highest position in the drug cartel organization, responsible for supervising the hitmen and falcons within their own territory. They are allowed to carry out low-profile murders without permission from their bosses.
*
Drug lord
A drug lord, drug baron, kingpin or narcotrafficker is a high-ranking crime boss who controls a sizable network of people involved in the illegal drug trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they are normally not directly ...
s (Spanish: ''Capos''): The highest position in any drug cartel, responsible for supervising the entire drug industry, appointing territorial leaders, making alliances, in addition to planning high-profile murders.
There are other operating groups within the drug cartels. For example, the drug producers and suppliers, although not considered in the basic structure, are critical operators of any drug cartel, along with the
smugglers
Smuggling is the illegal transportation of objects, substances, information or people, such as out of a house or buildings, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.
There are various ...
,
distributors
A distributor is an enclosed rotating switch used in spark-ignition internal combustion engines that have mechanically timed ignition. The distributor's main function is to route high voltage current from the ignition coil to the spark plugs ...
,
sales representatives
Sales are activities related to selling or the number of goods sold in a given targeted time period. The delivery of a service for a cost is also considered a sale.
The seller, or the provider of the goods or services, completes a sale in r ...
,
accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accounting or accountancy.
Accountants who have demonstrated competency through their professional associations' certification exams are certified to use titles such as Chartered Accountant, Chartered Certifi ...
s and
money launderers
Money laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, obtained from illicit activities such as drug trafficking, corruption, embezzlement or gambling, by converting it into a legitimate source. It is a crime in many jurisdictions ...
. Furthermore, the arms suppliers operate in a completely different circle; they are technically not considered part of the cartel's logistics.
Africa
*
Cape Verdean organized crime
*
Mungiki[Kinnear, Karen L (2009) ''Gangs: a reference handbook'', ABC-CLIO, ]
*
Organized crime in Nigeria
Organized crime in Nigeria includes activities by fraudsters, bandits (such as looting and kidnappings on major highways), drug traffickers and racketeers, which have spread across Western Africa. Nigerian criminal gangs rose to prominence in ...
[Shanty, Frank & Mishra, Patit (2007) ''Organized crime : from trafficking to terrorism'', ABC-CLIO, ]
**
Confraternities in Nigeria
Confraternities in Nigeria are secretive student groups within Nigerian higher education that have been involved in violence and organized crime since the 1980s. The exact death toll of confraternity activities is unclear. One estimate in 2002 w ...
***
Black Axe (organized crime group)
Black Axe is a confraternity in Nigeria that now operates as an international criminal organization, which originated around 1977. Among many crimes it was responsible for the Obafemi Awolowo University massacre.
History
According to BBC Africa ...
**
Anini gang
*
Mai-Mai
The term Mai-Mai or Mayi-Mayi refers to any kind of community-based militia group active in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that is formed to defend local communities and territory against other armed groups. Most were formed to resis ...
militia gangs
*
Moroccan hashish smugglers
**
Ahmed organization
Americas
North America
Canada
*
Rivard organization
*
Red Scorpions
The Red Scorpions is a gang based in British Columbia, Canada. It was formed in 2000 by Quang Vinh Thang Le (known as Michael Le), Tejinder Malli, Konaam Shirzad, Matthew Johnston, and one other un-named young offenders. Michael Le testified a ...
*
Bacon Brothers
The Bacon Brothers is an American music duo consisting of brothers Michael Bacon and Kevin Bacon. Although they have played music together since they were boys, the brothers have only been a working band since 1994. Having heard the brother's ...
*
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
**
West End Gang
The West End Gang (french: Gang de l'ouest) is a Canadian organized crime group in Montreal, Quebec. An Irish mob group originating from the Irish-Canadian ethnic enclave of Pointe-Saint-Charles in the 1950s, the majority of the gang's earni ...
**
Blass gang
**
Dubois Brothers
*
Punjabi-Canadian organized crime
Punjabi-Canadian organized crime is made up of groups that are based in Canada and is made up predominantly of young adults and teenagers of Punjabi ethnic, cultural and linguistic background, while ethnically they typically belong to the Jat Sik ...
**
Punjabi Mafia ਜੌਹਲ ਗਿਰੋਹ (Canada)
[Schneider, Stephen (2009) ''Iced: The Story of Organized Crime in Canada'', John Wiley and Sons, ]
*Canadian mafia families
**
Rizzuto crime family
The Rizzuto crime family () is an organized crime family based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, whose criminal activity covers most of southern Quebec and Ontario. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) considers the family a facti ...
**
Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan
The Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan () was a Mafia clan of the Cosa Nostra and held a key position in the illicit drug trade and money laundering for Cosa Nostra in the 1980s and 1990s. The Italian press baptized the clan as "The Rothschilds of the ...
**
Cotroni crime family
The Cotroni crime family, originally CotroneAuger and Edwards ''The Encyclopedia of Canadian Organized Crime'' p.63. () was an Italian 'Ndrangheta type organized crime syndicate (or 'Ndrina) based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The United States Fed ...
**
Musitano crime family
The Musitano crime family () is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Platì in Southern Italy and Buccinasco and Bareggio in Northern Italy. The Musitano family was founded by Angelo Musitano in Can ...
**
Papalia crime family
The Papalia crime family () also known as Papalia 'ndrina, is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, as well as Platì in Southern Italy and Buccinasco in Northern Italy. Another branch of the family is based in ...
**
Luppino crime family
The Luppino crime family, () also known as the Luppino-Violi crime family, is a 'Ndrangheta organized crime family based and founded in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in the 1950s by Giacomo Luppino. The Luppino family is one of three centralized Mafi ...
**
Perri crime family
**
Siderno Group
The Siderno Group is a criminal association in Canada, Australia and Italy related to the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organization in Calabria. The association is labelled the "Siderno Group" because its members primarily came from the town of Sidern ...
**
Commisso 'ndrina
The Commisso 'ndrina () is a powerful clan of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organization in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina is based in Siderno, but also has a branch in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada as part of the Siderno Group. ...
Mexico
![Mexican drug cartels 2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Mexican_drug_cartels_2008.jpg)
Mexican cartels (also known in
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
as: ''la Mafia'' (the
mafia
"Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of d ...
or the mob), ''La Maña'' (the skill / the bad manners), ''narcotraficantes'' (narco-traffickers), or simply as ''narcos'' usually refers to several, rival, criminal organizations that are combated by the Mexican government in the
Mexican War on Drugs (List sorted by branches and heritage):
Note:As of 2020 the DEA considered the Cartels of Sinaloa-Beltran, Juarez-Linea, Jalisco, Golfo-Noreste-Zetas, La Familia and Rojos-Guerreros the most influential cartels in Mexico.
*''
Gulf Cartel'' (The oldest Mexican criminal syndicate, started as prohibition-era bootlegging gang)
**
Los Zetas
Los Zetas (, Spanish for "The Zs") is a Mexican criminal syndicate, regarded as one of the most dangerous of Mexico's drug cartels. They are known for engaging in brutally violent "shock and awe" tactics such as beheadings, torture, and indiscri ...
(Formerly part of the Gulf Cartel, now independent)
**
La Familia Michoacana
La Familia Michoacana, (English: ''The Michoacán Family'') La Familia (English: ''The Family''), or LFM is a Mexican drug cartel and organized crime syndicate based in the Mexican state of Michoacán. They are known to produce large amounts o ...
(Formerly a branch of the Gulf Cartel, then went independent) (Disbanded)
**
Knights Templar Cartel
The Knights Templar Cartel (Spanish: ''Los Caballeros Templarios'') was a Mexican criminal organization originally composed of the remnants of La Familia Michoacana drug cartel based in the Mexican State of Michoacán.
The Knights Templar Ca ...
(Splintered from La Familia Cartel)
*''
Guadalajara Cartel
The Guadalajara Cartel ( es, Cártel de Guadalajara) also known as The Federation ( es, La Federación, link=no) was a Mexican drug cartel which was formed in the late 1970s by Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Rafael Caro Quintero, and Ernesto Fo ...
'' (The first full-fledged Mexican drug cartel, from which most of the big cartels spawned) (disbanded in 1989)
*''
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel ( es, link=no, Cártel de Sinaloa), also known as the CDS, the Guzmán-Loera Organization, the Pacific Cartel, the Federation and the Blood Alliance, is a large, international organized crime syndicate that specializes in il ...
'' (Spawned from the Guadalajara Cartel)
**
Colima Cartel
The Colima Cartel ( es, Cártel de Colima) was a Mexican drug trafficking and methamphetamine producing cartel operating in Guadalajara, Jalisco. It was founded and led by José de Jesús Amezcua Contreras and supported by his brothers Adán an ...
(members are now a branch of the Sinaloa Cartel)
**
Sonora Cartel
The Sonora Cartel, also known as Caro Quintero Organization, was a Mexico based criminal cartel. Upon the cartel's disintegration, its leaders were incorporated into the Tijuana Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel.
By 2007, Sonora Cartel, Colima Cartel ...
(was reformed in 2018 and is still a branch of the Sinaloa Cartel)
**
Artistas Asesinos (hitman squad) (Disbanded)
**
Gente Nueva
Gente Nueva (English: ''New People''), also known as Los Chapos, in reference to their drug lord Joaquín Guzmán Loera, is a large group of well-trained and experienced gunmen that function as one of the elite armed wings of the Sinaloa Cartel, ...
(Sinaloa cell in Chihuahua) (Disbanded)
**
Los Ántrax (enforcer squad)
![Sinaloa Cartel Drug Tunnel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Sinaloa_Cartel_Drug_Tunnel.jpg)
*''
Milenio Cartel
The Milenio Cartel, or Cártel de los Valencia (Valencia family Cartel), was a Mexican criminal organization based in Michoacán. It relocated to Jalisco in the early 2000s. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel was born from the splintering of t ...
'' (First loyal to the Sinaloa Cartel federation, later independent) (disbanded)
**
La Resistencia (Splintered from the Milenio Cartel) (Disbanded)
**
Jalisco New Generation Cartel
The Jalisco New Generation Cartel ( es, Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación) or CJNG, formerly known as ''Los Mata Zetas'', is a semi-militarized Mexican criminal group based in Jalisco which is headed by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes ("El Me ...
(Independent remnants of the Milenio Cartel)
*''
Beltrán-Leyva Organization'' (Formerly part of the Sinaloa Cartel federation, later independent) (disbanded)
**
Los Negros
Los Negros ('The Black Ones') was a criminal organization that was once the armed wing of the Sinaloa Cartel and after a switch of alliances, became the armed wing of the Sinaloa splinter gang, the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel. In 2010 it went indepe ...
(Beltran-Leyva enforcement squad) (Disbanded)
**
South Pacific Cartel
The South Pacific Cartel (Spanish: ''Cártel del Pacífico Sur''), is a Mexican organized crime group composed of the remnants of the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel. It is based in the Mexican state of Morelos. The gang has been significantly less act ...
(branch of the Beltran Leyva Cartel in Morelos)
![Drug-War Related Murders in Mexico 2006-2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Drug-War_Related_Murders_in_Mexico_2006-2011.png)
**Cártel del Centro (cell of the Beltran-Leyva Cartel in Mexico City) (Disbanded)
**
Independent Cartel of Acapulco
The Independent Cartel of Guerrero (Spanish: Cártel Independiente de Acapulco or CIDA) was a criminal gang based in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco, Guerrero and its surrounding territories. The criminal group came into existence during the ...
(Splinter from the Beltran-Leyva Cartel)
**
La Barredora
La Barredora ("The Sweeper Truck") is a criminal gang based in the Mexican resort city of Acapulco, Guerrero and its surrounding territories. The criminal group came into existence during the rapid decentralization of Mexico's drug trafficking or ...
(gang)
**El Comando Del Diablo (gang) (Hitman squad of la Barredora) (Disbanded)
**La Mano Con Ojos (gang) (small cell of Beltran-Leyva members in the State of Mexico) (Disbanded)
**La Nueva Administración (Splintered from the Beltran-Leyva Cartel) (Disbanded)
**La Oficina (gang) (cell of the Beltran-Leyva Cartel in Aguascalientes) (Disbanded)
**Cártel de la Sierra (cell in Guerrero)
**Cártel de La Calle (cell in Chiapas)
**Los Chachos (gang in Tamaulipas) (Disbanded)
*''
Tijuana Cartel
The Tijuana Cartel (Spanish: ''Cártel de Tijuana'') or Arellano-Félix-Organization (Spanish: ''Organización Arellano Félix'', AFO) is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Founded by the Arellano-Félix family, the ...
'' (Spawned from the Guadalajara Cartel)
**
Oaxaca Cartel
The Oaxaca cartel (Spanish: ''Cártel de Oaxaca'' or ''Díaz-Parada cartel'' or ''Cártel del Istmo'' ) was one of the smaller drug cartels operating in Mexico and at the service of the Tijuana Cartel; it focused on marijuana and cocaine traffi ...
(Was a branch of the disbanded Tijuana Cartel, its regional leader was captured in 2007)
*''
Juárez Cartel
The Juárez Cartel (Spanish: ''Cártel de Juárez''), also known as the Vicente Carrillo Fuentes Organization, is a Mexican drug cartel based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, across the Mexico—U.S. border from El Paso, Texas. The cartel is one of ...
''(Spawned from the Guadalajara Cartel)
**
La Línea
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
(Juárez Cartel enforcer squad)
**
Barrio Azteca
The Barrio Azteca (), or Los Aztecas (), is a Mexican-American street, and prison gang originally based in El Paso, Texas. The gang was formed in the jails of El Paso in 1986 and expanded into a transnational criminal organization. Currently on ...
(U.S. street gang) (Allied with La Linea)
![Esparragoza-Moreno](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Esparragoza-Moreno.jpeg)
*
Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel
The Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel ( es, Cártel de Santa Rosa de Lima) or CSRL is a Mexican criminal organization from the state of Guanajuato. Founded in 2014, it was initially headed by "The Sledgehammer". They mainly earn their income from oil th ...
*
Caborca Cartel
The Caborca Cartel ( es, Cártel de Caborca) is a Mexican criminal organization commanded by the veteran drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, (founder of the defunct Guadalajara Cartel) and concentrating its drug trafficking operations in the border m ...
*Lesser-known small-
criminal organizations
Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...
:
**
Los Mexicles
Los Mexicles is a Mexican street gang based in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. It is allied to the Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel ( es, link=no, Cártel de Sinaloa), also known as the CDS, the Guzmán-Loera Organization, the Pacific Cartel, ...
(
U.S. street gang)
** Los Texas (street gang) (disbanded)
*Government officials: Other organizations that have been involved in drug trade or traffic in Mexico (this does not necessarily apply for the whole institution):
**Mexican officials:
***Municipal, state, and
Federal Police forces in Mexico
***
Mexican Armed Forces
The Mexican Armed Forces ( es, Fuerzas Armadas de México) are the military forces of the United Mexican States. The Spanish crown established a standing military in colonial Mexico in the eighteenth century. After Mexican independence in 1821, ...
(
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
)
***
Mexico City International Airport
Mexico City International Airport ( es, link=yes, Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México, AICM); officially ''Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez'' (Benito Juárez International Airport) is the main international airport serving ...
***
Club Xoloitzcuintles (football)
**United States officials:
***
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...
(FBI)
[ Juan García Ábrego]
***
Texas National Guard
The Texas Military Forces (TXMF) are the principal instrument through which the Texas Military Department (TMD) executes security policy for Texas, which has the second-largest population and border in the United States, and the 9th-largest eco ...
***
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the largest federal law enforcement agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It is the country's primary border control organization, charged with regulating and facilit ...
***United States
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor from 1933 to 1940 and the U.S. Department of Justice from 1940 to 2003.
Referred to by some as former INS and by others as legacy INS, ...
United States
![Map of US Violent Crime](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Map_of_US_Violent_Crime.svg)
The United States of America is the world's largest consumer of cocaine and other illegal drugs. This is a list of American criminal organizations involved in illegal drug traffic, drug trade and other related crimes in the United States:
*
National Crime Syndicate
The National Crime Syndicate was the name given by the press to the multi-ethnic, loosely connected, American confederation of several criminal organizations. It mostly consisted of and was led by the closely interconnected Italian-American Mafia ...
**
Seven Group
Murder, Inc. (Murder, Incorporated) was an organized crime group, active from 1929 to 1941, that acted as the enforcement arm of the National Crime Syndicatea closely connected criminal organization that included the Italian-American Mafia, the ...
**
Murder, Inc.
Murder, Inc. (Murder, Incorporated) was an organized crime group, active from 1929 to 1941, that acted as the enforcement arm of the National Crime Syndicatea closely connected criminal organization that included the Italian-American Mafia, the ...
[Rockaway, Robert A (2000) ''But he was good to his mother: the lives and crimes of Jewish gangsters'', Gefen Publishing House Ltd, ]
*
Polish Mob
**
Saltis-McErlane Gang
Joseph Francis Saltis, (8 September 1894 – 2 August 1947), known as "Polack Joe", was a Polish-American Prohibition gangster who, with Frank McErlane, operated an illegal bootlegging racket in the Back of the Yards neighborhood in Chicago, Illi ...
[Sifakis, Carl. ''The Mafia Encyclopedia''. New York: Da Capo Press, 2005. ]
**
Kielbasa Posse
Polish-American organized crime has existed in the United States throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Although not as well known as Italian, Irish, Russian mafias, the Polish Mob has a presence in many urban Polish American communities.
Prohib ...
**
The Greenpoint Crew
**
Flats Mob
**
The Flathead gang
The Flathead Gang, also known as The Flatheads, was a group of bank robbers. The gang was operating in the Detroit, Michigan area. When the police became a major problem for the gang they decided to move their robberies and other crimes to the Stat ...
[Kavieff, Paul (2008) ''Detroit's Infamous Purple Gang'' Arcadia Publishing, ]
*
Prohibition-era
In the United States from 1920 to 1933, a nationwide constitutional law prohibited the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The alcohol industry was curtailed by a succession of state legislatures, an ...
gangs
**
Galveston
Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Galvesto ...
***
Downtown Gang
The Downtown Gang was one of the two gangs that dominated the organized crime world in Galveston, Texas, United States, mainly during prohibition. The gang was founded by Johnny Jack Nounes around 1920. The gang became a large profiteer and lead ...
***
Beach Gang
***
The Maceo syndicate
**
Shelton Brothers Gang
The Shelton Brothers Gang was an early Prohibition-era bootlegging gang based in southern Illinois. They were the main rivals of the famous bootlegger Charles Birger and his gang. In 1950, the '' Saturday Evening Post'' described the Sheltons ...
[Angle, Paul M (2991) ''Bloody Williamson: A Chapter in American Lawlessness'', University of Illinois Press, ]
**
Sheldon Gang
The Sheldon Gang was a Chicago criminal gang during the early years of Prohibition known for being the main rivals of the Saltis-McErlane Gang and the Southside O'Donnell Brothers. The gang's primary activities included bootlegging and hijacking ...
**
Broadway Mob
**
The Lanzetta Brothers
**
Circus Cafe Gang
**
Wandering Family
The Famiglia Vagabonda ("Wandering Family") was an American Prohibition-era criminal organization of Italian origin operating in Clarksburg and Fairmont, West Virginia. The gang was composed of Black Handers, Camorristi and Mafiosi.
John C. M ...
**
Remus organization
*
Hispanic-American
Hispanic and Latino Americans ( es, Estadounidenses hispanos y latinos; pt, Estadunidenses hispânicos e latinos) are Americans of Spanish and/or Latin American ancestry. More broadly, these demographics include all Americans who identify as ...
**
Marielitos
***
The Corporation
Arizona Cartel
Border Brothers
Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...
Paisas
A Paisa is someone from a region in the northwest of Colombia, including part of the Cordillera Occidental (Colombia), West and Cordillera Central (Colombia), Central ''cordilleras'' of the Andean natural region, Andes in Colombia. The Paisa ...
Nuestra Familia
Nuestra Familia (Spanish for ''"our family"'') is a criminal organization of Mexican American (Chicano) prison gangs with origins in Northern California. While members of the Norteños gang are considered to be foot soldiers of Nuestra Familia, b ...
![CJNG - US Influence Map -2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/CJNG_-_US_Influence_Map_-2018.jpg)
***
Crips
The Crips is an alliance of street gangs that is based in the coastal regions of Southern California. Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams, the Crips were initially a single alliance ...
or Locs
***
Bloods
The Bloods are a primarily African-American street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn by its members and by particular gang symbols, includin ...
or B Dogs
***
Surenos or SUR 13
***
Nortenos or Norte 14
**
Puerto Rican mafia
***
Agosto organization
***
La ONU
The Organizacion de Narcotraficantes Unidos (ONU, or La ONU) (in English: United Drug Traffickers), is a Puerto Rican criminal organization based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. It is an organization dedicated to drug dealing and unifying various well- ...
***
Martinez Familia Sangeros
The Puerto Rican Mob/The Puerto Rican mafia, consists of 6 crime families, in the northeastern coast of Puerto Rico around the cities of San Juan, Carolina, Canóvanas and Loiza. The family was founded by Quitoni Martinez, José "Coquito" L ...
***
Solano organization
***
Negri organization
***
Márquez gambling ring
**
Polanco-Rodriguez organization
*
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
''(See also
Rampart scandal
The Rampart scandal involved widespread police corruption in the Community Resources Against Street Hoodlums (CRASH) anti-gang unit of the Los Angeles Police Department's Rampart Division in the late 1990s. More than 70 police officers either as ...
)''
**
Nash gang
**
Wonderland Gang
The Wonderland Gang was a group of drug dealers involved in the Los Angeles cocaine trade during the late 1970s and early 1980s; their home base was located on Wonderland Avenue in the Laurel Canyon section of Los Angeles, California. On July 1, ...
*
Dixie Mafia
The Dixie Mafia or Dixie Mob is an American criminal organization composed mainly of white Southerners and based in Biloxi, Mississippi, operating primarily throughout the Southern United States since at least the late 1960s. The group's activitie ...
**
Cornbread Mafia
The "Cornbread mafia" was the name for a group of Kentucky men who created the largest domestic marijuana production operation in United States history. It was based in Marion, Nelson and Washington counties in central Kentucky. The term "Cornbre ...
*
Greek-American
Greek Americans ( el, Ελληνοαμερικανοί ''Ellinoamerikanoí'' ''Ellinoamerikánoi'' ) are Americans of full or partial Greek ancestry. The lowest estimate is that 1.2 million Americans are of Greek descent while the highest es ...
organized crime
**
Philadelphia Greek Mob
Philadelphia's Greek Mob, also known as the Philadelphia Greek Mafia or simply the Greek Mafia, are a low-profile criminal organization of ethnic Greek Americans in Philadelphia with alleged connections to the Italian Philadelphia crime family an ...
**
Velentzas Family
*
Assyrian/Chaldean mafia[Salinger, Lawrence (2005) '' Encyclopedia of White-Collar & Corporate Crime: A - I, Volume 1'' SAGE, ]
*
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
**
The Company
**
Leota mob
*
Wall gang
*
Elkins mob
*
The Chickens and the Bulls
*
Binion mob
*
Johnston gang
=American Mafia
=
Italian immigrants to the United States in the early 19th century formed various small-time gangs which gradually evolved into sophisticated crime syndicates which dominated organized crime in America for several decades. Although government crackdowns and a less-tightly knit Italian-American community have largely reduced their power, they remain an active force in the underworld.
=Active crime families
=
*
American Mafia
The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian American criminal society and organized crime group. The organization is often referred to by its membe ...
*
The Commission[Capeci, Jerry (2002) ''The complete idiot's guide to the Mafia'', Alpha Books, ]
*The
Five Families
The Five Families refers to five major New York City organized crime families of the Italian American Mafia formed in 1931 by Salvatore Maranzano following his victory in the Castellammarese War.
Maranzano reorganized the Italian American gangs ...
of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
**
Bonanno
***
Indelicato crew
***
The Motion Lounge Crew
**
Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
***
Scarpa crew
**
Genovese
Genovese is an Italian surname meaning, properly, someone from Genoa. Its Italian plural form '' Genovesi'' has also developed into a surname.
People
* Alfred Genovese (1931–2011), American oboist
* Alfredo Genovese (born 1964), Argentine ar ...
***
116th Street Crew
***
Greenwich Village Crew
The Greenwich Village Crew is a crew within the Genovese crime family, active in the Greenwich Village area of Manhattan. It was originally controlled by Don Vito Genovese from the early 1920s until his arrest in the late 1950s.G. T. Harrell. ''F ...
***
New Jersey Crew
**
Gambino
***
Ozone Park Boys
The Ozone Park Boys, also known as "Liberty Posse" and "The Young Guns", are a Gambino crime family American Mafia, Mafia crew based in Ozone Park, Queens. They are infamous for their massive number of crimes, including an illegal $30 million-a-y ...
***
DeMeo crew
Roy Albert DeMeo (; September 7, 1940 – January 10, 1983) was an Italian-American mobster in the Gambino crime family of New York City. He headed a group referred to as the "DeMeo crew", which became notorious for the large number of murders ...
***
Baltimore Crew
***
South Florida faction
***
New Jersey faction
***
The Bergin Crew
***
Cherry Hill Gambinos
**
Lucchese
***
The Jersey Crew
The Lucchese crime family's New Jersey faction, also known as the Jersey Crew,Carlpg. 232-236/ref> is a powerful crew within the Lucchese crime family. The members operate throughout the Northern New Jersey area. During the 1970s into the late 198 ...
***
The Vario Crew
The Vario Crew, also known as the Canarsie Crew, is a group of Italian-American mobsters within the Lucchese crime family that controls organized crime activities within the New York metropolitan area but has been predominantly based from Broo ...
***
107th Street gang
*
Magaddino crime family
The Buffalo crime family, also known as the Magaddino crime family, Buffalo Mafia, The Arm, the New York State crime family, the Upstate New York Mafia, and the Todaro crime family, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Buffalo, N ...
*
DeCavalcante crime family
The DeCavalcante crime family, also known as the North Jersey Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia organized crime family that operates mainly in northern New Jersey, particularly in Elizabeth, Newark, West New York, and various other North Jersey ...
*The
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit (also known as the Outfit, the Chicago Mafia, the Chicago Mob, the Chicago crime family, the South Side Gang or The Organization) is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate or crime family based in Chicago, Illinois, tha ...
''(see also
Unione Siciliane)''
**
Las Vegas crew (defunct)
*
Philadelphia crime family
The Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Philadelphia Mafia, the Philly Mob or Philly Mafia, the Philadelphia-South Jersey Mafia, or Bruno-Scarfo family is an Italian-American Mafia family based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed and ...
*
Pittsburgh crime family
The Pittsburgh crime family,CapeciChapter 5 "Mafia Families Poison the Northeast"/ref> also known as the LaRocca crime family''Organized Crime in Pennsylvania: Traditional and Non-Traditional''. Pennsylvania Crime Concession. April 15, 1988 or P ...
*
Patriarca crime family
The Patriarca crime family (, ), also known as the New England Mafia, the Boston Mafia, the Providence Mafia, or The Office is an Italian-American American Mafia, Mafia crime family, family in New England. It has two distinct factions, one based ...
**
Angiulo Brothers crew
*
Cleveland crime family
The Cleveland crime family or Cleveland Mafia is the collective name given to a succession of Italian-American organized crime gangs based in Cleveland, Ohio, in the United States. A part of the Italian-American Mafia (or ''Cosa Nostra'') phenom ...
*
Los Angeles crime family
The Los Angeles crime family, also known as the L.A. Mafia or the Southern California crime family, is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in Los Angeles as part of the larger Italian-American Mafia. Since its inception in the earl ...
*
Kansas City crime family
The Kansas City crime family, also known as the Civella crime family or Kansas City Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia family based in Kansas City, Missouri.
History
Early history
The Italian-American organized crime family began when two Si ...
*
Trafficante crime family
The Trafficante crime family, also known as the Tampa Mafia, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Tampa, Florida, United States. The most notable boss was Santo Trafficante, Jr. who ruled Tampa and the crime family with an iron fist. ...
*
Detroit Partnership
The Detroit Partnership (also known as the Detroit crime family, Detroit Combination, Detroit Mafia, Zerilli crime family, and the Tocco–Zerilli crime family) () is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in Detroit, Michigan, and ...
*
Milwaukee crime family
The Milwaukee Crime Family, Balistrieri Crime Family, or Milwaukee Mafia is an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Peter J. Devico ''The Mafia Made Easy: The Anatomy and Culture of La Cosa Nostra.'(pg.154-156)/ref> T ...
*
New Orleans crime family
The New Orleans crime family or New Orlean Mafia was an Italian-American Mafia crime family based in the city of New Orleans. The family had a history of criminal activity dating back to the late nineteenth century. The family reached its height ...
=Defunct mafia families
=
*
Morello crime family
The Morello crime family () was one of the earliest crime families to be established in the United States and New York City. The Morellos were based in Manhattan's Italian Harlem and eventually gained dominance in the Italian underworld by defea ...
*
Genna crime family
The Genna crime family (), was a crime family that operated in Prohibition-era Chicago. From 1921 to 1925, the family was headed by the six Genna brothers, known as the ''Terrible Gennas''.Capeci, Jerry. ''The complete idiot's guide to the Mafia' ...
*
Porrello crime family
*
St. Louis crime family
*
Rochester Crime Family
*
Bufalino crime family
*
Dallas crime family
The Dallas crime family or Dallas Mafia was an Italian-American Italian-American Mafia, Mafia American Mafia crime families, crime family based in Dallas, Texas.
History
Carlo Piranio
Carlo Piranio, a native of Sicily, immigrated to the U.S. ...
*
Denver crime family
The Colorado crime family, also known as the Smaldone crime family, Denver crime family, Denver Mafia or the Mountain Mafia was an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in Pueblo and Denver, Colorado. Pete and Sam Carlino’s bootle ...
*
San Francisco crime family
The San Francisco crime family, also known as the Lanza crime family or San Francisco Mafia, was an American Mafia crime syndicate in San Francisco. The syndicate was organized in the early 1930s by Francesco "Frank" Lanza. The San Francisco fami ...
*
San Jose crime family
*
Seattle crime family
The Seattle crime family, also known as the Colacurcio crime family
by Michael Ro ...
*
Omaha crime family
*
Licavoli Mob
*
Cardinelli gang
*
New York Camorra
*
East Harlem Purple Gang
The East Harlem Purple Gang was a gang or organized crime group consisting of Italian-American hit-men and heroin dealers who were semi-independent from the Italian-American Mafia and, according to federal prosecutors, dominated heroin distribu ...
=
Jewish mafia
Jewish-American organized crime initially emerged within the American Jewish community during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It has been referred to variously in media and popular culture as the Jewish Mob, Jewish Mafia, Kosher Mob, K ...
=
*New York City
**
Schultz gang
**
The Bugs and Meyer Mob
The Bugs (Bugsy) and Meyer Mob was a Jewish-American street gang in Manhattan, New York City's Lower East Side. It was formed and headed by mobsters Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky during their teenage years shortly after the start of Prohibition. ...
**
Shapiro Brothers
Meyer (1908–1931), Irving (1904–1931) and William Shapiro (1911–1934), collectively known as the Shapiro Brothers were the leaders of a group of Jewish-American mobsters from New York City and based in Williamsburg. Well established in ...
**
Yiddish Black Hand
**
Rothstein organization
**
Kaplan gang
**
Rosenzweig gang
*Boston
**
69th Street Gang
**
Sagansky organization
**
Solomon organization
*Los Angeles
**
Cohen crime family
Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen (September 4, 1913 – July 29, 1976) was an American gangster, boxer and entrepreneur based in Los Angeles during the mid-20th century.
Early life
Mickey Cohen was born on September 4, 1913, in New York City to J ...
(mix between Jewish and Italian members)
*The Purple Gang
*Abner Zwillman, Zwillman gang
*Kid Cann's gang
*Charles Birger, Birger mob
*Moe Dalitz, Cleveland Syndicate
=African-American organized crime
=
*New York City
**The Council (drug syndicate), The Council
**Stephanie St. Clair, Harlem numbers racket
**Bumpy Johnson gang
**Supreme Team (gang), Supreme Team
[American Gangster, BET](_blank)
**Howard Mason, The Bebos
**Frank Lucas (drug dealer), The Country Boys
**Frank Matthews (drug trafficker), Matthews Organization
*The Family (NJ African-American crime organization), The Family
*Crime in Detroit, Detroit
**Black Mafia Family
**Young Boys Inc., Young Boys, Inc.
**Chambers Brothers (gang), Chambers Brothers
*Crime in Philadelphia, Philadelphia
**Black Mafia
[Chepesiuk, Ron (2007) ''Gangsters of Harlem: the gritty underworld of New York City's most famous neighborhood'', Barricade Books, ]
**Junior Black Mafia
*Crime in Oakland, California, Oakland, California
**69 Mob
*Crime in Baltimore, Baltimore
**Melvin Williams (actor), Williams organization (drug trafficking)
*Crime in Washington, D.C., Washington, D.C.
**Rayful Edmond organization
*Crime in Chicago, Chicago
**Theodore Roe's gambling ring
**Willie Stokes, Stokes organization
*Atlantic City
**Hakeem Abdul-Shaheed, Aso Posse
*Crime in Florida, Miami
**Miami Boys (drug organization), Miami Boys
*James Rosemond, Rosemond Organization
=Irish Mob
=
*History of Chicago#Politics in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Prohibition-era Chicago gangs
**North Side Gang
[English, T.J. ''Paddy Whacked: The Untold Story of the Irish American Gangster''. New York: HarperCollins, 2005, ]
**James Patrick O'Leary organization
**John Patrick Looney gang
**Valley Gang
**Ragen's Colts
**Roger Touhy, Touhy gang
*Boston#Public safety, Boston
**Mullen Gang
**Winter Hill Gang
**Gustin Gang
**Charlestown Mob
**Donald Killeen, Killeen gang
*Danny Hogan's gang
*Danny Walsh gang
*Tom Dennison (political boss), Tom Dennison empire
*Danny Greene, Danny Greene's Celtic Club
*Nucky Johnson's Organization
*K&A Gang
*Maurice EnEnright gang
*Irish Mob#New York, New York
**Bill Dwyer (mobster), Dwyer gang
**The Westies
**White Hand Gang
**Vannie Higgins, Higgins gang
*Crime in St. Louis, St Louis
**Hogan Gang
**Egan's Rats
Caribbean
*Dole Chadee, Chadee gang (Trinidad and Tobago)
*Jamaican Yardies & Jamaican Posse, Posses
**Shower Posse
**Green Bay Massacre, POW Posse
**Tottenham Mandem
***Death of Mark Duggan#Background, Star Gang
**Donovan Bennett, Klans Massive
*No Limit Soldiers (organized crime group), No Limit Soldiers
*Roger Khan, Phantom death squad (Guyana)
*Zoe Pound (Haitian people, Haitian, see also Tonton Macoute)
* Dominican Republic, Dominican drug cartels
**Quirino Paulino, Paulino organization
**Rolando Florián Féliz, Féliz organization
South America
Brazil
*Comando Vermelho
*Primeiro Comando da Capital
*Terceiro Comando Puro
*Terceiro Comando
*Amigos dos Amigos
Bolivia
*Narcotics in Bolivia, Bolivian drug cartels ''(See also Luis García Meza Tejada#Drug trafficking, García Meza regime drug trafficking)''
**Chapare Cartel
**La Corporación
**Santa Cruz Cartel
Colombia
![Gomez-Bustamante extradited from Colombia to the United States 2007](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Gomez-Bustamante_extradited_from_Colombia_to_the_United_States_2007.jpg)
Colombia is the largest producer of cocaine on the planet, Cocaine production in Colombia reached an all-time high in 2017.
Active Colombian Drug Cartels.
*The Black Eagles
*Clan del Golfo
*Oficina de Envigado
*National Liberation Army (Colombia)
*FARC dissidents
*Los Rastrojos
Historical Colombian Drug Cartels.
*Medellín Cartel
*Cali Cartel
*Norte del Valle Cartel
*North Coast Cartel
*United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
*Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Peru
*Illegal drug trade in Peru, Peruvian drug cartels ''(see also Vladimiro Montesinos)''
**Fernando Zevallos, Zevallos organisation
Venezuela
Historically Venezuela has been a path to the United States for Illegal drug trade in Colombia, illegal drugs originating in Colombia, through Central America and
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
and Caribbean countries such as Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
According to the United Nations, there has been an increase of cocaine trafficking through Venezuela since 2002. In 2005, Venezuela severed ties with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), accusing its representatives of spying.
Following the departure of the DEA from Venezuela and the expansion of DEA's partnership with Colombia in 2005, Venezuela became more attractive to drug traffickers.
Between 2008 and 2012, Venezuela's cocaine seizure ranking among other countries declined, going from being ranked fourth in the world for cocaine seizures in 2008
[United Nations]
World Drug Report 2010 Statistical Annex: Drug seizures
to sixth in the world in 2012.
The cartel groups involved include:
* The
Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan
The Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan () was a Mafia clan of the Cosa Nostra and held a key position in the illicit drug trade and money laundering for Cosa Nostra in the 1980s and 1990s. The Italian press baptized the clan as "The Rothschilds of the ...
moved to Venezuela,
[Tom Blickman (1997),]
The Rothschilds of the Mafia on Aruba
", ''Transnational Organized Crime'', Vol. 3, No. 2, Summer 1997 which became an important hideout as the clan bought hotels and founded various businesses in Caracas and Valencia, as well as an extended ranch in Barinas (state), Barinas, near the Colombian border. ''"Venezuela has its own Cosa Nostra family as if it is Sicilian territory,"'' according to the Italian police. ''"The structure and hierarchy of the Mafia has been entirely reproduced in Venezuela."'' The Cuntrera-Caruana clan had direct links with the ruling Commission of the Sicilian Mafia, and are acknowledged by the American Cosa Nostra.
[
Pasquale, Paolo and Gaspare Cuntrera were expelled from Venezuela in 1992, "almost secretly smuggled out of the country, as if it concerned one of their own drug transports. It was
imperative they could not contact people on the outside who could have used their political connections to stop the expulsion." Their expulsion was ordered by a commission of the Venezuelan Senate headed by Senator Cristobal Fernandez Dalo and his money laundering investigator, Thor Halvorssen Hellum. They were arrested in September 1992 at Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport, Fiumicino airport (Rome),][Gaeton Fonzi, Fonzi, Gaeton.]
The Troublemaker
". ''The Pennsylvania Gazette'' (November 1994). and in 1996 were sentenced to 13–20 years.[
* Norte del Valle Cartel : In 2008 the leader of the Colombian Norte del Valle Cartel, Wilber Varela, was found murdered in a hotel in Mérida (state), Mérida in Venezuela. In 2010, Venezuela arrested and deported to the United States Jaime Alberto "Beto" Marin, then head of the Norte del Valle Cartel.][''Venezuelanalysis.com'', 20 September 2010]
Venezuela Deports Two Drug Kingpins, Calls US Drug Blacklist "Abusive and Interventionist"
* The Cartel of the Suns According to Jackson Diehl. Deputy Editorial Page Editor of ''The Washington Post'', the Bolivarian government of Venezuela shelters "one of the world’s biggest drug cartels". There have also been allegations that former president Hugo Chávez and Diosdado Cabello being involved with drug trafficking.
In May 2015, ''The Wall Street Journal'' reported from United States officials that drug trafficking in Venezuela increased significantly with Colombian drug traffickers moving from Colombia to Venezuela due to pressure from law enforcement. One United States Department of Justice official described the higher ranks of the Venezuelan government and military as "a criminal organization", with high ranking Venezuelan officials, such as National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello, being accused of drug trafficking.[ Those involved with investigations stated that Venezuelan government defectors and former traffickers had given information to investigators and that details of those involved in government drug trafficking were increasing.][
]
Central America
Honduras
*Illegal drug trade in Honduras, Honduran drug cartels
**Juan Matta-Ballesteros, Matta organization
**Cachiros
El Salvador
*Mara Salvatrucha
Nicaragua
*Nicaraguan drug cartels ''(see also CIA involvement in Contra cocaine trafficking, Contras)''
**Oscar Danilo Blandón
Asia
East Asia
Korea
*Kkangpae, Korean criminal organizations ''(see also North Korea's illicit activities)''
Japan
=yakuza, Japanese criminal organizations
=
''See also Kenji Doihara#Criminal activities, Kenji Doihara's criminal activities''
The yakuza of Japan are similar to the Italian mafias in that they originated centuries ago and follow a rigid set of traditions, but have several aspects that make them unique, such as their Body suit (tattoo), full-body tattoos and their fairly open place in Japanese society. Many yakuza groups are umbrella organizations, smaller gangs reporting to a larger crime syndicate.
Active yakuza groups
*Yamaguchi-gumi, Roku-daime Yamaguchi-gumi 六代目山口組[Kaplan, David E. & Dubro, Alec (2003) ''Yakuza: Japan's criminal underworld'', University of California Press, ]
**Yamaken-gumi, Yon-daime Yamaken-gumi 四代目山健組
**Kodo-kai, Ni-daime Kodo-kai 二代目弘道会
**Takumi-gumi, Ni-daime Takumi-gumi 二代目宅見組
**Kokusui-kai, Go-daime Kokusui-kai 五代目國粹会
*Inagawa-kai 稲川会
* Sumiyoshi-kai 住吉会
**Sumiyoshi-ikka Shinwa-kai (Sumiyoshi-ikka), Shinwa-kai 住吉一家親和会
***Kansuke, Kansuke Juni-daime 勘助十二代目
*Kobe Yamaguchi-gumi
*Matsuba-kai 松葉会
*Kyokuto-kai 極東会
*Dojin-kai 道仁会
**Ōmuta murders, Kitamura-gumi
*Kudo-kai, Yon-daime Kudo-kai 四代目工藤會
*Aizukotetsu-kai, Roku-daime Aizu-Kotetsu-kai 六代目会津小鉄会
*Okinawa Kyokuryu-kai 沖縄旭琉会
*Kyushu Seido-kai 九州誠道会
*Kyosei-kai, Go-daime Kyosei-kai 五代目共政会
*Fukuhaku-kai, San-daime Fukuhaku-kai 三代目福博会
*Soai-kai 双愛会
*Kyokuryu-kai, Yon-daime Kyokuryu-kai 四代目旭琉会
*Kyodo-kai, San-daime Kyodo-kai 三代目俠道会
*Taishu-kai 太州会
*Goda-ikka, Shichi-daime Goda-ikka 七代目合田一家
*Toa-kai 東亜会
*Azuma-gumi, Ni-daime Azuma-gumi 二代目東組
*Asano-gumi, Yon-daime Asano-gumi 四代目浅野組
*Sakaume-gumi, Hachi-daime Sakaume-gumi 八代目酒梅組
*Kozakura-ikka, Yon-daime Kozakura-ikka 四代目小桜一家
*Shinwa-kai (Takamatsu), Ni-daime Shinwa-kai 二代目親和会
Defunct yakuza groups
*Kantō-kai 関東会
*Honda-kai, Ni-daime Honda-kai 二代目本多会
*Yamaguchi-gumi
**Goto-gumi 後藤組
**Suishin-kai 水心会
*Ichiwa-kai 一和会
*Yamano-kai, San-daime Yamano-kai 三代目山野会
*Nakano-kai 中野会
*Kyokuto Sakurai-soke-rengokai 極東桜井總家連合会
East Asia
The Triad (organized crime), Triads is a popular name for a number of Chinese criminal secret societies, which have existed in various forms over the centuries (see for example Tiandihui). However, not all Chinese gangs fall into line with these traditional groups, as many non-traditional criminal organizations have formed, both in China and the Chinese diaspora.
*Organised crime in Hong Kong, Hong Kong-based Triads
** 14K Triad, 14K Group :zh:十四K, 十四K
** Wo Group 和字頭
*** Wo Shing Wo :zh:和勝和, 和勝和
*** Wo On Lok/Shui Fong, Wo On Lok (Shui Fong) :zh:和安樂, 和安樂(水房)
*** Wo Hop To :zh:和合圖, 和合圖(老和)
** Sun Yee On :zh:新義安, 新義安(老新)
** Luen Group 聯字頭
** Big Circle Gang 大圈
* Sio Sam Ong (小三王)
* Social problems in Chinatown#Gangs, Chinese-American gangs ''(See also Tong (organization), Tongs)''
** Wah Ching 華青
** Ping On
** Black Dragons (gang), Black Dragons 黑龍
** Jackson Street Boys 積臣街小子
*Taiwan-based Triads
**United Bamboo Gang :zh:竹聯幫, 竹聯幫
**Four Seas Gang :zh:四海幫, 四海幫
**Lo Fu-chu, Celestial Alliance
*Crime in China, Mainland Chinese crime groups ''(see also Hanlong Group#Allegations of corruption, Hanlong Group)''
** Chongqing gang trials, Chongqing group 重慶組
** Defunct
***Honghuzi gangs
*** Green Gang 青帮
*Triad (organized crime), Triads in Chợ Lớn, Ho Chi Minh City, Cholon
**Wu Bang
Southeast Asia
*Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia), Golden Triangle[Booth, Martin (2000) ''The dragon syndicates: the global phenomenon of the Triads'' Basic Books, ]
**Opium production in Burma, Burmese drug cartels'' (see also Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army)''
***Khun Sa, Khun Sa cartel[Chepesiuk, Ron (1999) ''The war on drugs: an international encyclopedia'', ABC-CLIO, ] ''(see also Mong Tai Army)''
***Red Wa ''(see also United Wa State Army and National Democratic Alliance Army)''
***Naw Kham, Hawngleuk Militia
***Lo Hsing Han, Han cartel
**Agriculture in Laos#Opium, Laotian drug cartels ''(see also Ouane Rattikone)''
*Chao pho
**Red Wa
*Illegal drug trade in the Philippines, Filipino crime gangs ''(See also Abu Sayyaf and New People's Army)''
***Kuratong Baleleng
***Waray-Waray gangs[ October 10, 2018]
***Bahala Na Gang
***Sigue Sigue Sputnik (gang), Sigue Sigue Sputnik
*** Defunct
****Nardong Putik, Putik gang
*Drugs in Cambodia, Cambodian crime gangs
**Teng Bunma organization
*Crime in Malaysia, Malaysian crime gangs
**Mamak Gang
* Secret societies in Singapore
**Ang Soon Tong昂很快塘
**Ghee Hin Kongsi 酥油軒懸空寺
**Hai San Secret Society, Hai San 海新
**Wah Kee:zh:華記, 華記
** Ah Kong 新加坡黑手黨
Vietnamese Xã Hội Đen
*Bình Xuyên
*Đại Cathay's mafia during the 60s
*Năm Cam's mafia of the 90s
*Khánh Trắng's "Đồng Xuân Labor Union", a crime syndicate under the guise of a legal entity
*Dung Hà's gang
*Vũ Xuân Trường's gang: a crime syndicate led by Vũ Xuân Trường, a government official and also a drug lord.
South Asia
*Indian mafia ''(See also Insurgency in Northeast India)''
**Mumbai
***D-Company डी कंपनी
***Chhota Rajan, Chhota Rajan gang राजन गिरोह
***Arun Gawli, Gawli gang गवली गिरोह
***Bada Rajan, Bada Rajan gang
***Manya Surve, Surve gang
***Varadarajan Mudaliar, Mudaliar gang
***Haji Mastan, Mastan gang
***Ali Budesh, Budesh gang
***Pappu Kalani, Kalani gang
**Organised crime in India#Pathan mafia, Pathan mafia
***Karim Lala, Lala gang
**Uttar Pradesh#Crime and accidents, Uttar Pradesh
***Mukhtar Ansari, Ansari gang
***D. P. Yadav, Yadav gang
**Bangalore
***Muthappa Rai, Rai gang
***Kotwal Ramachandra, Ramachandra gang
***M. P. Jayaraj, Jayaraj gang
**Kala Kaccha Gang
**Chaddi Baniyan Gang
*List of Sri Lankan mobsters, Sri Lankan criminal groups
*Organised crime in Pakistan, Pakistani mafia ''(See also Peoples' Aman Committee, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan, Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Inter-Services Intelligence#Drugs trade, ISI involvement with drugs)''
**Chotu gang
**Uzair Baloch, Lyari Gang
*Mafia Raj
*Dacoit gangs
**Man Singh (dacoit), Singh gang
**Veerappan gang
**Phoolan Devi, Devi gang
Middle East
*Israeli mafia ''(see also Lehi (group), Stern Gang)''
**Abergil Crime Family משפחת הפשע אברג'יל
**Yaakov Alperon, Alperon crime family משפחת הפשע אלפרון
**Zeev Rosenstein organization ארגון זאב רוזנשטיין
**Israeli mafia#Palestinian organized crime, Palestinian organized crime ''(See also Abu Nidal Organization)''
***Doghmush clan
*Turkish mafia
**Illegal drug trade in Turkey, Crime groups in Turkey ''(see also Deep state in Turkey, Deep state and Yüksekova Gang)''
***Dündar Kılıç, Kılıç gang
***Alaattin Çakıcı, Çakıcı gang
***Mehmet Ali Yaprak, Yaprak Family
***Ömer Lütfü Topal, Topal organisation
***Söylemez Gang
**Kurdish clans ''(see also Kurdistan Workers' Party#Involvement in drug trafficking)''
***Hüseyin Baybaşin, Baybaşin clan
***Behçet Cantürk, Cantürk crime family
**Turkish organised crime in Great Britain
***Arifs (gang), Arifs
**Crime in Germany#Turkish organized crime, Turkish organised crime in Germany
***Necati Arabaci, Arabacı clan
**Nedim Imac, İmaç clan (Netherlands)
*Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak (Iran)#Organized crime, Iranian organized crime ''(see also Jundallah (Iran), Jundallah and illegal activities of the Controversies surrounding Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, IRGC)''
**Omid Tahvili, Tahvili crime family
*Lebanese mafia ''(See also Lebanese Civil War#Political groups and militias, Lebanese Civil War militias)''
**Arab crime clans
***Miri-Clan
***Al-Zein Clan
**John Ibrahim, Ibrahim clan
Afghanistan
*Golden Crescent
**Ayub Afridi (drug lord), Afridi Network
** Opium production in Afghanistan, Afghan drug cartels[Glenny, Misha (2009) ''McMafia'', Vintage Books, ] ''(see also Taliban)''
*** Haji Bashar, Noorzai Organization
*** Juma Khan, Khan organization
*** Ahmed Wali Karzai, Karzai organization (alleged)
*** Haji Bagcho, Bagcho organization
Central Asia
*Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak (Asia and Oceania)#Corruption, human rights and organized crime, Uzbek mafia ''(See also Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan)''
**Gafur Rakhimov, Rakhimov organization
*Tulip Revolution#Possible involvement of organized crime, Kyrgyz mafia
**Bayaman Erkinbayev, Erkinbayev group
**Ryspek Akmatbayev, Akmatbayev group
**Kamchy Kolbayev, Kolbayev group
Eurasia
Russia
Although organized crime existed in the Soviet era, the gangs really gained in power and international reach during the Perestroika, transition to capitalism. The term Russian Mafia, 'mafiya' or mob is a blanket (and somewhat inaccurate) term for the various organized crime groups that emerged in this period from the 15 former republics of the USSR and unlike their Italian counterparts does not mean members are necessarily of Russian ethnicity or uphold any ancient criminal traditions, although this is the case for some members.
*Israeli mafia#Ex-Soviet organized crime, Russian-Jewish mafia
**Brighton Beach#Crime, Brighton Beach
***Evsei Agron, Agron gang
***Boris Nayfeld, Nayfeld gang
***Marat Balagula, Balagula gang
**Semion Mogilevich, Mogilevich organization
*Brothers' Circle (Existence is debatable)
*Russian mafia ''(See also Lubyanka Criminal Group, Three Whales Corruption Scandal and Sergei Magnitsky)''
**Moscow
***Izmaylovskaya gang
***Solntsevskaya bratva[Varese, Frederico (2005) ''The Russian mafia: private protection in a new market economy'', Oxford University Press, ]
****Vyacheslav Ivankov, New York branch
***Orekhovskaya gang
**St Petersburg#Crime, St Petersburg'' (See also Roman Tsepov#"Baltik-Eskort", Baltik-Eskort)''
***Tambov Gang
**Tolyatti#Organized crime, Togliatti mafia
**Uralmash gang
**Maxim Lazovsky, Lazovsky gang
**Vitali Dyomochka, Vladivostok gang
**Alexander Solonik, Kurganskaya group
**Kushchevskaya massacre, Tsapok gang
**Ryazan#Crime, 'Elephants' group
**Kazan gang
Caucasus
''See also Caucasus Emirate#Funding, Caucasus Emirate''
*Georgian mafia ''(See also Mkhedrioni and Forest Brothers (Georgia), Forest Brothers)''
**Tariel Oniani, Kutaisi clan
**Aslan Usoyan, Tbilisi clan
**Otari Kvantrishvili, 21st Century Association
*Armenian mafia[CBS News/Associated Press - Armenian Organized Crime Grows More Complex](_blank)
/ref>
**2010 Medicaid Fraud#Leadership and members of the organization, Mirzoyan-Terdjanian organization
**Armenian Power
*Azeri mafia
**Rovshan Janiev, Janiev organization
*Chechen mafia ''(See also Special Purpose Islamic Regiment and Kadyrovtsy)''
**Khozh-Ahmed Noukhayev, Obschina
**Ruslan Labazanov, Labazanov gang
Europe
Sweden
*Original Gangsters (gang), Original Gangsters
*Fucked For Life
*Uppsalamaffian
*Organized crime in Sweden, Chosen Ones
*Organized crime in Sweden, Werewolf Legion
*Organized crime in Sweden, Asir
*2015 Gothenburg pub shooting, Vårvädersligan
Netherlands
*Organized crime in the Netherlands
**Klaas Bruinsma (drug lord), Bruinsma drug gang
**Willem Holleeder, Holleeder gang
**Moroccan mafia
France
*Milieu (organized crime in France), French Milieu ''(See also Service d'Action Civique)''
**Corsican mafia[Gayraud, Jean-François (2009) ''Showbiz, people et corruption'', Odile Jacob, ] ''(see also National Liberation Front of Corsica)''
***Unione Corse
***Gang de la Brise de Mer, Brise de Mer gang
**Milieu (organized crime in France)#Les Caïds Des Cités, Les Caïds Des Cités
***Rédoine Faïd, Faïd gang
***The Affair of the Gang of Barbarians, The Barbarians
**Gang des postiches, Wigs gang
**Alexandre Villaplane, North African Brigade ''(see also Carlingue)''
**Gang des Tractions Avant, Tractions Avant gang
**Jacky Imbert, Bande des Trois Canards
**Milieu (organized crime in France)#"Traveler" Gangs, French gypsy gangs
***Hornec gang
Greece
*Greek mafia
Ireland
*Ireland
**History of Dublin#Heroin Problem, Dublin
***Martin Cahill, Cahill gang[Newton, Michael (2007) ''Gangsters Encyclopedia'', Anova Books, ]
***John Gilligan (Irish criminal), Gilligan gang
***Martin Foley, Foley gang
***Martin "Marlo" Hyland, Hyland gang
***Eamon Dunne, Dunne gang
***The Westies (Irish gang), The Westies
**Limerick feud, Limerick
***McCarthy-Dundon
***Keane-Collopy
**Rathkeale Rovers
**Kinahan Organised Crime Group
Spain
*Crime in Spain, Spain ''(see also ETA (separatist group), ETA)''
**Galician mafia
**Romani people, Romani clans
***Francisca Cortés Picazo, El Clan De La Paca
Poland
*Crime in Poland, Poland ''(See also Group 13)''
**Andrzej Kolikowski, Pruszków mafia
**Crime in Poland, Wołomin mafia
Slovakia
*Slovak mafia
**Slovak mafia#Hungaro-Slovak mafia, Hungaro-Slovak mafia
Hungary
*Veszprém stabbing, Raffael clan
*Veszprém stabbing, Sztojka clan
Czech Republic
**František Mrázek, Mrázek organization
**Radovan Krejčíř, Krejčíř organization
Italy
*Sicilian Mafia
**Sicilian Mafia Commission
**mandamento (Sicilian Mafia), Mandamenti
***''See also List of Sicilian Mafia clans''
***Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan
The Cuntrera-Caruana Mafia clan () was a Mafia clan of the Cosa Nostra and held a key position in the illicit drug trade and money laundering for Cosa Nostra in the 1980s and 1990s. The Italian press baptized the clan as "The Rothschilds of the ...
***Inzerillo Mafia clan
***Corleonesi
***Greco Mafia clan
***Motisi Mafia clan
*'Ndrangheta
*La Provincia
**''See also List of 'ndrine''
**Honoured Society (Australia), Honoured Society (Melbourne)
**Mammoliti 'ndrina
**Bellocco 'ndrina
**Cataldo 'ndrina
**Commisso 'ndrina
The Commisso 'ndrina () is a powerful clan of the 'Ndrangheta, a criminal and mafia-type organization in Calabria, Italy. The 'ndrina is based in Siderno, but also has a branch in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada as part of the Siderno Group. ...
**Cordì 'ndrina
**De Stefano 'ndrina
**Pesce 'ndrina
**Barbaro 'ndrina
**Piromalli 'ndrina
**Serraino 'ndrina
**Siderno Group
The Siderno Group is a criminal association in Canada, Australia and Italy related to the 'Ndrangheta, a Mafia-type organization in Calabria. The association is labelled the "Siderno Group" because its members primarily came from the town of Sidern ...
*Camorra[Roberto Saviano (2006) ''Gomorrah: Italy's Other Mafia'', Mondadori, .]
**Secondigliano Alliance
***Licciardi clan
***Contini clan
***Lo Russo clan
***Mallardo clan
**Di Lauro Clan
**Casalesi clan
**Mario Fabbrocino, Fabbrocino clan
**Vollaro clan
**Scissionisti di Secondigliano
**Augusto La Torre, La Torre clan
**Polverino clan
**Rinaldi clan
**De Luca Bossa clan
**Aprea-Cuccaro clan
**Cesarano clan
**Giuseppe Puca, Puca clan
*Sacra Corona Unita
*Società foggiana
*Stidda
*Mala del Brenta
*Banda della Magliana
*2014 Rome corruption scandal, Mafia Capitale
*Romani people, Sinti Casamonica clan
*Clan Spada di Ostia (Rome), Ostia
*Crime in Italy#Central and Northern Italy, Milanese gangs
**Banda della Comasina
**Francis Turatello, Turatello crew
Balkans
Balkan organized crime gained prominence in the chaos following the communist era, notably the transition to capitalism and the Yugoslav Wars, wars in former Yugoslavia.
*Albanian mafia
**Crime in Kosovo, Kosovan mafia
**Albanian Rebellion of 1997#Gangs, Albania
***Gang of Çole
***Gang of Gaxhai
***Gang of Pusi i Mezinit
***Lazarat marijuana growers
**Rudaj Organization (New York City)
** Gang of Ismail Lika
**Princ Dobroshi, Dobroshi gang (International)
**Naserligan[Dagens Nyheter - Ligorna har kopplat greppet om Sverige](_blank)
(Swedish) (Sweden)
**Organized crime in Sweden, K-Falangen (Sweden)
*Bosnian mafia
**Jusuf Prazina, Prazina gang[Siegel, Dina (2003) ''Global organized crime: trends and developments'', Springer, ]
**Ismet Bajramović, Bajramović gang
**Ramiz Delalić, Delalić gang
**Organized crime in Sweden, M-Falangen (Sweden)
*Bulgarian mafia ''(see also Multigroup)''
**VIS (criminal organisation), VIS
**SIC (criminal organisation), SIC
**Ivo Karamanski, Karamanski gang
**TIM (firm), TIM
**Naglite
**Anti-Roma protests in Bulgaria 2011, Rashkov clan
*Serbian mafia
**Željko Ražnatović, Arkan clan
**Zemun Clan
**Joca Amsterdam gang
**Ljubomir Magaš, Magaš clan
**Đorđe Božović, Giška gang
**Pink Panthers
**Serb mafia in Scandinavia
***Rade Kotur, Kotur mob
***Ratko Đokić, Yugoslav Brotherhood
*Montenegrin mafia ''(see also Milo Đukanović#Criminal investigation in Italy, allegations of Milo Đukanović's involvement in cigarette smuggling)''
*Macedonian mafia
**Frankfurt mafia
**Bajrush klan
**Nezim klan'
*Romanian organized crime, Romanian mafia
**Sergiu Băhăian, Băhăian organisation
Great Britain
*Crime in London, London
**Clerkenwell crime syndicate, Adams crime family
**The Richardson Gang[Morton, James ''Gangland Volume 2: The Underworld in Britain and Ireland'', 1995, ]
**Kray Twins, The Firm
**Bernie Silver, The Syndicate
**Jack Comer, Comer gang
**Lee Murray, Buttmarsh Boys
**Interwar unemployment and poverty in the United Kingdom, Interwar era mobs
***Messina Brothers
***Sabini syndicate[Thomas, Donald (2006) ''Villains' paradise: a history of Britain's underworld'', Pegasus Books, ]
***Hoxton Gang
***Elephant and Castle Mob
***Birmingham Boys
*Rettendon murders, Essex Boys
*Gun crime in south Manchester, Manchester
**Quality Street Gang
**Desmond Noonan, Noonan firm
**Cheetham Hillbillies
**The Gooch Close Gang
*Crime in Liverpool, Liverpool
**Curtis Warren, Curtis Warren's drug empire
**Whitney gang
*Aggi Crew
*British firms (organized crime)#Glasgow crime families, Glasgow
**Thomas McGraw, McGraw firm
**Arthur Thompson (gangster), Thompson firm
**Walter Douglas, Delta Crime Syndicate
*Brighton razor gangs
*Bestwood Estate#Recent years, Bestwood Cartel
Ukraine
*Ukrainian mafia
**Akhat Bragin, Donetsk Clan
**Sergey Aksyonov#Alleged links to organized crime, Salem gang
Lithuania
*Foreign relations of Lithuania#Illicit drug trafficking, Lithuanian mafia
**Boris Dekanidze, Vilnius Brigade
Estonia
*Estonian mafia/Obtshak
**Toomas Helin, Linnuvabriku group
Transnistria
*Mafia state#Transnistria, Transnistrian mafia
Australia
*Crime in Sydney, Sydney
**5T (gang), 5T gang[Small, Clive & Gilling, Tom (2010) ''Smack Express: How Organized Crime Got Hooked on Drugs'', Allen & Unwin, ] (1985–1999)
**George Freeman (bookmaker), Freeman gang (defunct)
**Lenny McPherson, Lenny's gang (1960s)
**Abe Saffron, Mr Sin's gang
**Razor gangs (1920s)
*Crime in Melbourne, Melbourne
**The Carlton Crew, Carlton Crew
**Moran family
**Carl Williams (criminal), Williams family
**Pettingill family
**Squizzy Taylor, Richmond gang
*Crime in Perth, Perth
**Salvator cartel
References
Further reading
*
PBS. 2006. Frontline: Drug Wars.
*
External links
*
Worldpress.org. 2006. "Mexico: Drug Cartels a Growing Threat." Worldpress.org.
{{Gangs
Drug cartels,
Illegal drug trade
Smuggling
Organized crime groups
Organized crime terminology
Transnational organized crime