Pennsylvania has a rich history, culture, and economy, but it also faces significant issues from crime and violence. Gangs, which operate in many towns and locations throughout the state, are among the most prominent sources of criminal activity.
These gangs engage in drug trafficking, gun violations, murder, robbery, and other crimes that endanger the safety and well-being of the inhabitants and communities. In this post, we’ll look at five of the most deadly gangs taking over Pennsylvania, ranked by size, breadth, and influence.
1. The Pagan Motorcycle Club
The Pagans Motorcycle Club, sometimes known as the Pagans MC, is an outlaw motorcycle club that mostly operates in the eastern and midwestern parts of the United States, including Pennsylvania. The Pagans MC was created in Maryland in 1959 and has since spread throughout multiple states, with an estimated membership of 200 to 250.
The Pagans MC is notable for using the Norse deity Loki, the number 16, and the colors blue and black as emblems and identities. The Pagans MC engages in a variety of illegal acts, including drug trafficking, weapons crimes, assault, murder, and extortion. The Pagans MC frequently clashes with other motorcycle clubs, including the Hells Angels, Outlaws, and Bandidos, as well as police enforcement organizations.
2. The Hilltop Gang
The Hilltop Gang, also known as the Hilltop Crew, is a violent drug trafficking gang based in the West Philadelphia neighborhood. The gang was created in the late 1990s and has since expanded to include dozens of members and allies who run the drug trade around 52nd Street and Lansdowne Avenue.
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The gang is known for using the letters “HT” and the color green as emblems and identities. The group is engaged in a variety of illegal acts, including drug trafficking, weapons crimes, robbery, murder, and witness intimidation. The gang frequently attacks competing drug traffickers, clients, informants, and innocent bystanders.
In February 2020, a federal grand jury indicted 15 Hilltop Gang members on drug conspiracy and gun offenses. The indictment was the product of a multi-agency investigation aimed at disrupting the gang and reducing violence in the community.
3. The Hazelwood Mob
The Hazelwood Mob, also known as the Down Low Gang, is a violent local gang that operates in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood district. The gang has been active since the early 2000s, and it has been implicated in multiple shootings, killings, and drug distribution in the region.
The gang is made up of leaders, members, drug suppliers, and associates who frequently utilize social media to communicate and brag about their illicit actions. In September 2021, a federal grand jury indicted 24 Hazelwood Mob members on drug conspiracy and gun offenses. The indictment followed a four-month wiretap investigation aimed at dismantling the gang and restoring peace and order in the neighborhood.
4. The Bloods
The Bloods are one of the most infamous and ubiquitous street gangs in the United States, with members in nearly every state, including Pennsylvania. The Bloods formed in Los Angeles in the 1970s as a rival to the Crips, another well-known street gang. The Bloods’ insignia and identifiers include the color red, the five-pointed star, and the term “blood”.
Also read: These Five Most Dangerous Gangs Are Taking Over Pennsylvania
The Bloods are organized into distinct sets or subgroups, each with its leadership, territory, and friends. Some of Pennsylvania’s more active Bloods sets are the Fruit Town Brims, the Sex Money Murder, the Nine Trey Gangsters, and the G-Shine.
The Bloods engage in a variety of criminal activities, including drug trafficking, robbery, extortion, murder, and racketeering. The Bloods frequently conflict with rival gangs, including the Crips, Latin Kings, and Aryan Brotherhood, as well as police enforcement organizations.
5. The Rolling 60s Crips
The Rollin 60s Crips, also known as the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips, are a huge and powerful street gang that mostly operates in the western and southern United States, including Pennsylvania. The Rollin 60s Crips formed in Los Angeles in the 1970s as a subset of the Crips, another well-known street gang. The Rollin 60s Crips are recognized for using the color blue, the six-pointed star, and the number 60 as symbols and identities.
The Rollin 60s Crips are organized into cliques or subgroups, each with its leadership, territory, and sympathizers. The 60th, 61st, 62nd, and 63rd Streets are among Pennsylvania’s most active Rollin 60s Crips cliques. The Rollin 60s Crips engage in a variety of criminal acts, including drug trafficking, robbery, murder, and racketeering. The Rollin’ 60s Crips frequently conflict with other gangs, including the Bloods, Hoover Criminals, and Folk Nation, as well as police enforcement organizations.