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GEOGRAPHY

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Social - Crime

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Largest Gangs by Membership

This list features the largest gangs in the world based on membership.

RANK

GANG

COUNTRY

MEMBERSHIP

1

Russian Mafia (Bratva)

300,000

Russia/Global

2

The Triads

100,000

China/Hong Kong

3

Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

70,000

El Salvador, USA

4

18th Street Gang (Barrio 18)

65,000

USA, Central America

5

Yamaguchi-gumi (Yakuza)

40,000

Japan

6

Norteños

30,000

USA (California)

7

Comando Vermelho

30,000

Brazil

8

United Bamboo Gang

30,000

Taiwan/Global

9

Sureños

30,000

USA (California)

10

Latin Kings

30,000

USA, Latin America

11

Cosa Nostra (Sicilian Mafia)

25,000

Italy (Sicily)

12

Hell’s Angels

25,000

USA/International

13

Bandidos Motorcycle Club

25,000

USA, International

14

Sinaloa Cartel

20,000

Mexico

15

Crips

20,000

USA

16

Bloods

20,000

USA

17

Aryan Brotherhood

20,000

USA (Prison Gangs)

18

Los Zetas

20,000

Mexico

19

Gulf Cartel

20,000

Mexico

20

Outlaws Motorcycle Club

20,000

USA, International

21

Camorra

20,000

Italy (Naples)


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References

Gale. (2021) Encyclopedia of Organized Crime and Mafia, p. 320. Booth, M. (2000) The Dragon Syndicates: The Global Phenomenon of the Triads. HarperCollins, pp. 185-187. Farah, D. (2017) MS-13 and the Surenos: Cross-Border Violence and Transnational Crime. Center for Strategic & International Studies, pp. 18-21. Congressional Research Service. (2021) Gangs in Central America. Report No. RL34112, pp. 9-11. Kaplan, D. and Dubro, A. (2003) Yakuza: Japan's Criminal Underworld. University of California Press, pp. 129-132. Valdez, A. (2018) ‘Mexican American Youth and Adult Prison Gangs in the California Correctional System’, Journal of Gang Research, 25(2), pp. 45-47. Gay, R. (1994) Popular Organization and Democracy in Rio de Janeiro: A Tale of Two Favelas. Temple University Press, pp. 90-95. Hsu, W. (2015) ‘Gangsterism in Taiwan’, Asian Journal of Criminology, 10(1), pp. 1-23. Echeverría, R. (2019) ‘The Sureños Gang: A Comprehensive Overview’, California Gang Research Conference, pp. 34-38. Varela, J. (2020) The Latin Kings: A Study of the Gang’s Growth in America. University Press, pp. 44-48. Dickie, J. (2004) Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia. Palgrave Macmillan, p. 58. McCarthy, T. (2020) ‘How Many Members Are in the Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club?’, Vice. Available at: https://www.vice.com/en/article/3k4v8n/hells-angels-membership (Accessed: 6 July 2025). Bainbridge, L. (2015) The Bandidos and Other Motorcycle Outlaw Gangs. Bloomsbury, p. 113. Grayson, G.W. (2018) The Cartels: The Story of Mexico's Most Dangerous Gangs, pp. 72-75. ‘The Crips Gang: An Overview’ (2021) Crime and Justice Research, pp. 26-30. ‘The Bloods Gang: An Overview’ (2021) Crime and Justice Research, pp. 31-35. ‘The Aryan Brotherhood of Texas: A History’ (2017) Journal of Gang Research, pp. 12-15. Rojas, C. (2019) Los Zetas: The Most Dangerous Criminal Organization in Mexico, pp. 50-54. Smith, E. (2020) The Gulf Cartel and the War on Drugs in Mexico, pp. 88-90. ‘Outlaws Motorcycle Club: An Overview’ (2018) International Journal of Criminal Justice, pp. 14-16. Tendi, A. (2015) The Camorra: Organized Crime in Naples. Palgrave Macmillan, p. 36. ‘The Ndrangheta: A Criminal Network’ (2020) European Journal of Criminology, pp. 23-27. González, J. (2021) The Jalisco New Generation Cartel: Emergence and Growth, pp. 22-25. ‘Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación: A Rising Threat’ (2022) The Global Organized Crime Index, pp. 18-20.
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