For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

The Best Friends Gang—founded by brothers Ezra “Wizard,” Gregory “Ghost,” Reginald “Rockin Reg,” and Terrance “Boogaloo” Brown—emerged on Detroit’s east side as a street-oriented group involved in contract-killing before expanding into a major cocaine criminal enterprise. Initially working enforcement for Richard “Maserati Rick” Carter and Demetrius Holloway, the Browns eventually formed their own drug enterprise after gaining access to a Colombian supplier.

By 1986, the criminal enterprise had grown to 25–50 members and developed a reputation for discipline, secrecy, and high lethality. They controlled territory along Van Dyke and Harper and later pushed into rival zones across the east side. At their height, the Best Friends reportedly moved 100 kilograms of cocaine per week and expanded their network into Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and parts of Ohio and Kentucky via the I-75 corridor.

A federal crackdown in the early 1990s—linked to murders, weapons offenses, and trafficking—ended the organization, culminating in a 1992 indictment of 29 members on 56 counts.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

The Chambers Brothers—B.J., Larry, Willie, and Otis—operated one of Detroit’s most extensive crack cocaine criminal enterprises in the 1980s. Known for managing hundreds of crack houses and amassing large sums of cash, their criminal enterprise became nationally recognized after law enforcement obtained videotapes of them counting money and displaying wealth.

They controlled the Broadmoor apartment complex on E. Grand Blvd, later mirrored as “The Carter” in the film New Jack City. Their enterprise employed a large workforce and became an archetype of the crack-era drug structure. The group’s downfall arrived through extensive federal investigations, though their influence persisted in literature and popular culture.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

Young Boys Incorporated was a dominant criminal enterprise that specialized in the trafficking of heroin and crack cocaine. The enterprise was founded near Dexter and Davison in the late 1970s. Formed by youth gang members including Bone Man, Wonderful Wayne, Nut, and Choicey Chuck, YBI expanded into a highly organized criminal enterprise. At its height, YBI reportedly controlled 80% of Detroit’s heroin market, generating roughly $300,000 per day.

The enterprise maintained an enforcement arm known as the A-Team and became recognizable for its specific fashion and branding. Splits within YBI created factions led by Dwayne Davis, Raymond Peoples, and Butch Jones, resulting in internal conflict and homicides. Major federal indictments in 1982 and shifting drug markets (from heroin to crack) ultimately led to the group’s decline.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

Founded by Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, BMF was a criminal enterprise that originated in Southwest Detroit in the mid-1980s before expanding nationally. With operations in more than a dozen states—including hubs in Atlanta and Los Angeles—the organization grew into a large-scale cocaine distribution and money-laundering network with over 500 associates.

Internal disputes over lifestyle and exposure contributed to the brothers’ eventual separation. Federal wiretaps, surveillance, and synchronized raids in the 2000s dismantled the organization. BMF maintained ties to Detroit’s street scene and Atlanta’s rap industry before its collapse, with remnants later appearing in groups like Famgoon/Famerica.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

The Errol Flynns were a highly influential 1970s Detroit criminal street gang based along Kercheval between Mt. Elliott and Conner. Known for their flashy style and recognizable hand signs, the group became one of the city’s most prominent street organizations, controlling territory and engaging in robbery, extortion, and heroin trafficking.

Their displays of coordinated hand gestures and dances functioned as territorial markers at parties and neighborhood gatherings. The gang reached an estimated 400 members at its peak but declined in the 1980s due to major prosecutions and the shift toward crack cocaine markets. The Flynns significantly influenced later Detroit sets, including the Dexter Boys, FMK, Coney Oneys, 7 Mile Killers, and the Chene Gang.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A criminal street gang known to be active in the 1970s, the Black Killers controlled turf bounded by Shoemaker (north), Mack (south), Conner (east), and Cadillac (west). Led by figures such as Sherm and Ced Tooks, Donnie King, and Jeff Dye, the gang became known for violent robberies, territorial enforcement, and internal discipline.

The gang’s conflicts with the Errol Flynns defined much of the era’s gang landscape. Numerous arrests and violent incidents—including multiple robberies and sexual assaults documented in a 1976 police report—characterized their operational peak. Future drug lord Johnny Curry was among their early members.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

The Purple Gang, originally called the Sugar House Boys, was a Prohibition-era Jewish criminal street gang or enterprise based in Detroit’s lower east side (Little Jerusalem/Little Paris). Active in the 1910s–1930s, they controlled bootlegging, extortion, and racketeering operations. The group achieved significant influence during Prohibition but fractured in the 1930s due to internal warfare and federal pressure.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

The Shakers, sometimes called the Shaker Gang or Shaker Stooges, were a major Detroit youth gang in the early 1950s with territory in the North End district. Known for large brawls—including a notable rumble with the Jokers at Berry School Playground—the group reportedly reached membership numbers near 700, including the “Shakerettes.”

The gang absorbed several smaller crews (Lover Boys, Kings’ Men, Seven Crowns, Chilli-Macs). Their most famous former member was singer Jackie Wilson.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A small Blood-aligned street clique formed in 1993 along Plymouth between Warwick and the Southfield Freeway. Their activity subsided through the late 1990s and they are now considered defunct.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A loosely organized street gang that self-identified as Blood-affiliated, and was reportedly established in 1992 along Plymouth between Southfield and Greenfield, the MadDawg Bloods were sometimes called the Black Counts due to close ties with the Latin Counts. The gang operated into the 1990s before dissolving.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A Latin Kings set—aligned with Chicago-lineage Kings—once active in Clark Park and Mexicantown. They maintained a rivalry with the Toledo Mafia Counts (TMC), which eventually overpowered and eliminated the Detroit set. No active presence remains.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A short-lived Mickey Cobras set near Chalmers & Outer Drive. Detroit never developed a stable MC presence, and this group faded quickly. Any modern claims are likely from older former members or unaffiliated individuals.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A small street clique composed largely of Bounty Hunna Bloods (BHB) near 8 Mile. Active around 2012–2013, they maintained alliances with YGB, LTC, and CTM and rivalries with Bandcrew, TSN, RTM, CMH, HoodRich, and WildLife. The set is now fully inactive.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A brief Rollin’ 60s Neighborhood Crip street clique presence near Joy Road & Southfield. Their lack of numbers prevented long-term activity, and the set dissolved.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

The Delray neighborhood—once a multi-ethnic industrial community—declined sharply due to pollution, plant closures, and mass demolitions tied to the Gordie Howe Bridge project. The Delray Boys, a small local street clique operating during the area’s later years, disappeared as the neighborhood itself was largely erased.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

Based on Bayside Street in Oakwood, this Latin Counts set feuded with Sur 13 and the Gangster Disciples. Industrial expansion, heavy demolition, and Marathon Petroleum’s buyouts of Oakwood Heights eliminated the neighborhood and the gang’s presence with it.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A Cass Corridor-based criminal street gang believed to be defunct. Their territory sat near major institutions like Cass Tech, prompting law-enforcement pressure. By the late 2010s, the area shifted toward crews like 2030 or TMO. Federal efforts to clean up the corridor ended A1’s presence.

For definitions of terminology related to activity, conduct, demographics, gang-related terms, identifiers, and classifications used on this page, refer to the site glossary.

A Southwest Detroit criminal street gang not formally aligned with any national gangs, the gang had intermittent rivalries with local Latin Counts and Gangster Disciples. They were also known by names such as ‘CFP,’ ‘2400,’ and ‘4400.’ The gang was primarily active in the early to mid-2000s. One alleged member was of the gang named Efraim Garcia was charged with multiple racketeering related crimes. Present-day activity is disputed: some accounts suggest limited involvement by a small number of older members, while others describe the gang as largely inactive. Available street-level observations generally support the latter.

The ‘Joy Boys’ were a large-scale narcotics trafficking organization that operated on Detroit’s west side from approximately 2006 to 2012. At the height of its activity, the group was involved in the distribution of illegal drugs throughout multiple westside neighborhoods. The organization became defunct following a federal investigation that culminated in a 60-count indictment against alleged leaders Cornell Smith and his brother, along with several associates. The prosecution effectively dismantled the organization and brought an end to its operations.

A once minimal, transient presence, now completely defunct.

The 3rd Street Family (a/k/a “3rd Street”) was predominantly African American, and the crew was a street-level drug trafficking organization reportedly involved in the interstate distribution of cocaine (between states like Ohio and Michigan). The organization was formerly based along 3rd Avenue between Hazelwood and Pingree streets, in the area between Rosa Parks Boulevard (a/k/a “12th Street”) and Byron Street in Detroit. Although no major criminal case(s) involving the crew appears to have unfolded on a large public scale, the organization is locally regarded as a legacy street crew with a historical presence in Detroit’s illicit drug trade.

The Murder City Goonz, also known as MCG, were once a prominent Rollin’ 30s Crips set based in the Sherwood neighborhood on Detroit’s Eastside. The set was a small but notable faction of the Rollin’ 30s Crips in Detroit. MCG formed an alliance with the HellZone Boyz Gangster Disciples (GDs) and operated under the 6, largely due to their shared rivalry with 7GM RedZone. However, the set has since become completely defunct, and there are no longer any active Rollin’ 30s Crips sets operating in Detroit.

The 952 Boys (or “Boyz”) were a small, secular drug gang that operated in Detroit from approximately 2006 to 2010 before being dismantled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). A locally notorious ATF Special Agent named Joe Nether was involved in the investigation, conducting multiple undercover dealings and crack-cocaine transactions as part of a broader effort to identify and apprehend armed drug dealers operating in Detroit.

Nether has been associated with a series of gang-related investigations and articles concerning Detroit street gangs from the early 2000s to the 2020s. Most recently, he was connected to an August 2025 Detroit News article examining volatile “tag wars” involving localized Crip subsets in the Five Points neighborhood.

Gary Young was identified as one of the gang’s alleged leaders and testified during the trial of Manuel Brooks. The 952 Boys are now considered entirely defunct, with no known continuation of the original organization into the present day.

The Detroit Thug Lords were a small-time Detroit drug gang that briefly came under investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) around February 2007 on suspicion of operating as an armed drug trafficking organization. The group was also mentioned in connection with a case involving the 952 Boys, another Detroit drug gang investigated by federal authorities.

In March 2008, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced that the leader of the Detroit Thug Lords had pleaded guilty to felony drug charges. During the prosecution, 14 additional members were either convicted or pleaded guilty to felony drug offenses.

According to the case details, the gang paid members, some of whom were minors, as much as $5,000 per month to distribute various drugs, including powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Drug transactions were arranged in advance using cellular telephone numbers, and the drugs were typically delivered in rental vehicles. The gang also maintained drug houses on Woodmont, Lawndale, Winthrop, Rockdale, Longacre, and Rosemont Streets, where firearms were kept at various locations for protection.

The MOB Assassin Pirus (662) were a subgroup of the broader MOB Pirus presence in Michigan, which has been reported in parts of Flint and Pontiac. However, this particular subgroup was a short-lived, Compton-lineage Piru faction whose identity was tied to its claimed affiliations rather than a long-standing local presence. The set once operated in the Five Points neighborhood (48219 ZIP code) of Northwest Detroit, particularly around West Seven Mile and Fenton, near the now-condemned Beyond the Gates Apartments on Detroit’s west side. Its identity drew from the E/S MOB Pirus network, adapting Los Angeles-based symbols into local graffiti and alliance structures.

At its peak, the 662 reportedly aligned with the local Black P. Stone Bloods (JSB) and opposed the Brightmoor Gangster Crips (BGC). Between approximately 2016 and 2019, members marked walls around Beyond the Gates with red “662” tags and Piru call signs, claiming a small but distinct area just west of the Five Points zone.

By 2019, the set had largely disappeared from the local scene, with no verified MOB Assassin Pirus tags or related incidents identified in the years that followed. In subsequent years, the area experienced a significant shift in its visible graffiti landscape, as the larger Crips-affiliated alliance known as the 5Point Nation Crips (5PN)—particularly its ScoreGang (SCRG) and Frisbee Street Crips (FSC) member gangs—became increasingly prominent. From 2022 to 2024, graffiti associated with 5PN, including identifiers such as “83GC” and “W7M,” appeared over older MOB Assassin Pirus markings, reflecting a change in the area’s visible street-gang symbolism without necessarily establishing the circumstances behind that transition.

Today, the MOB Assassin Pirus are generally considered defunct in Detroit, with their name surviving primarily in older graffiti photographs and oral accounts. The Beyond the Gates Apartments area is now associated with 5PN-related graffiti and territorial claims. However, the extent of current territorial control and the absence of any remaining Piru or Blood-affiliated activity cannot be established solely through graffiti documentation, particularly given the continued presence of the Black P. Stones street gang in the broader area.

The Street Lordz, also known as the Street Lord Gangstas, Street Lord Chedda Boyz, or simply the “Original Chedda Boyz,” were a longtime Detroit-based street gang, drug enterprise, and rap collective active throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. The group included several locally notorious rappers, including “Street Lord Juan” (real name: DaJuan Wren, a convicted drug trafficker), and the late Blade Icewood.

In 2002, federal investigators dismantled the core of the Street Lordz operation after a traffic stop led to the interception of a semi-truck carrying roughly 4,700 pounds of marijuana. Federal authorities ultimately indicted 23 people connected to the organization, alleging that they had moved an estimated $40 million worth of marijuana in just 10 months.

High-ranking members, including Street Lord Rook, later openly explained the business logic behind their operation. At the time, they viewed marijuana trafficking as a “smart” way to generate millions of dollars while risking lighter sentences—potentially little more than a “slap on the wrist”—compared with trafficking large quantities of cocaine or heroin.

That massive influx of cash helped finance the group’s independent music operation, allowing them to press their own CDs, shoot high-budget local music videos, purchase fleets of matching luxury cars, and release classic independent albums like Platinum Roleez Don’t Tic Toc using their own money.

When legendary Detroit rappers like Blade Icewood (real name: Darnell Lindsay) rapped about “getting money,” it wasn’t simply the usual rap-game exaggeration. The Street Lordz operated a large-scale illegal distribution network that generated substantial revenue and helped reshape Detroit’s hip-hop landscape before federal authorities intervened.

Blade Icewood (aka Darnell Lindsay), the de-facto leader of the Street Lordz group, was slain in April 2005, killed outside a car wash on West Seven Mile near Faust, behind the wheel of his Range Rover in the midst of a feud with a rival rap crew (the Eastside Chedda Boyz). His dad, Charles (Choicey Chuck) Lindsay, was an original member of Young Boys, Inc. (YBI), the iconic and highly-organized early 1980s Westside Detroit drug organization.

The Curry Brothers Organization (or “gang”) was a highly structured, multimillion-dollar drug syndicate that dominated Detroit’s East Side during the 1980s crack epidemic. Led by identical twins Johnny and Leo Curry, the organization adopted a businesslike model focused on distribution, money laundering, and political connections. Johnny Curry’s marriage to Cathy Volsan, niece of longtime Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young, placed the organization close to the city’s political establishment.

The Currys’ political connections became a major point of controversy after the FBI alleged that high-ranking Detroit Police Department personnel, including members of the Homicide Bureau, compromised investigations to protect the organization and connected political figures.

In 1984, a federal task force recruited 14-year-old Richard Wershe Jr., known as “White Boy Rick,” as an informant to infiltrate the Curry organization. His intelligence helped investigators map its operations. The organization faced further scrutiny after a 1985 drive-by shooting killed 12-year-old Damion Lucas in a botched retaliation attempt against a rival dealer, fueling public outrage and intensifying federal scrutiny.

In 1987, a sweeping federal indictment dismantled the organization. Johnny Curry pleaded guilty to operating a continuing criminal enterprise and served 14 years in federal prison. The case remains a notable example of the intersection of Detroit’s drug trade, alleged institutional corruption, political connections, and controversial federal informant practices.

The 8 Mile Sconis, more commonly known locally as the “Sconi Boys,” were a street-level gang that operated along Eight Mile Road in Detroit’s West Side Eight Mile–Wyoming neighborhood. The group was notorious for street-level robberies and shootings. Over time, members adopted elements of Vice Lords and Bloods street culture and ideology.

The original group is now considered defunct, although younger generations associated with the Skoni name (replacing “C” with “K,” via “Bloods” terminology)—without necessarily being direct offshoots of the original gang—remain active today. These include groups known as the “44 Boyz” and “44 Skoni Skams.” One notable figure associated with Detroit’s rap scene is Rocaine, who was previously signed to Chief Keef’s Glo Gang record label before stepping away from performing and transitioning into music production.

The Dexter Boys were an African American street-level gang based in Detroit’s Dexter-Linwood area (DLA), widely recognized for their involvement in various illicit revenue streams and violent crime. The group became notorious for its criminal activity, contributing to the neighborhood’s economic decline. In recent years, however, the area has experienced significant revitalization and redevelopment.

Although the Dexter Boys are widely considered defunct, various groups and gangs have since emerged within the neighborhood. Some locals consider certain groups to be offshoots or successors, including the Choppa Boyz (CLM), associated with the late rapper Dex Osama (real name: Byron Cox), as well as DarkSide and Choppa Wood.

The 7 Mile Boys were a large African-American street group and cultural movement that emerged in the late 1990s and early 2000s, primarily associated with the east and west sides of Seven Mile Road (“7 Mile”) in Detroit. The group was known for proudly claiming the “7 Mile” name, with many members getting tattoos featuring the name alongside road-themed imagery. Members were also known for hustling (selling drugs) and fiercely defending the 7 Mile identity.

Today, the Seven Mile area is associated with a range of splintered street groups and nationally aligned gangs, including Crips, Bloods, Vice Lords, Gangster Disciples, and various other groups.

The Chaldean Mafia, also referred to as the Chaldean Organized Crime Syndicate, is described as a distinct criminal organization composed predominantly of ethnic Chaldeans (Iraqi Catholics). Following the abolition of the U.S. National Origins Formula in 1965, waves of Chaldean immigrants settled in Detroit. Over the following decades, members of the community established a strong entrepreneurial presence, purchasing and operating independent grocery stores, corner markets, and gas stations throughout the city.

By the early 1980s, an insular criminal faction had reportedly emerged from this demographic. Unlike traditional street gangs, the syndicate allegedly operated through a structured hierarchy in which localized cliques answered to designated figures known as “Godfathers.”

The foundation of the modern syndicate has been linked to Louis “The Hammerhead” Akrawi. According to accounts of the organization’s history, Akrawi was an Iraqi political dissident who fled Baghdad after participating in a failed 1968 coup against the Ba’ath Party regime, reportedly earning him a death contract from Saddam Hussein. After settling in Metro Detroit, Akrawi allegedly established control over illegal gambling, extortion rackets, and narcotics distribution networks in an area nicknamed “Little Baghdad.”

In the late 1980s, a violent internal turf war erupted over drug territory and gambling profits. The conflict reportedly reached a turning point on February 20, 1989, when Akrawi’s nephew and surrogate son, Harry “The Blonde” Kalasho, was assassinated in a gangland-style ambush in West Bloomfield. The multiyear conflict resulted in more than a dozen homicides across Oakland and Wayne counties. Akrawi was eventually convicted of second-degree murder in the 1990s following a retaliatory attack that claimed the life of an innocent bystander.

The organization’s alleged business-oriented structure and operational efficiency reportedly facilitated alliances with major criminal networks, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Mexican Mafia. A large, multagency federal investigation resulted in the convictions of 111 individuals linked to the Detroit network, alongside the seizure of millions of dollars in cash, 6.5 tons of marijuana, and dozens of firearms.

Operation Shadowbox (2011)

Operation Shadowbox was a joint federal and local law enforcement investigation targeting a major logistical connection between San Diego and Detroit. Federal indictments reportedly revealed partnerships between Chaldean criminal operators and the Si

A small-time African-American street gang once active during the 2010s that rivaled much larger gangs such as the “Band Crew.” Formerly based in the Puritan and Livernois area.

A once popular Detroit-based rap collective and street gang.