Gangs in the United Kingdom

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Gangs in the United Kingdom are gangs which are or were active in the cities and towns of the United Kingdom.

Almost three quarters of all gang related organised crime in England alone, particularly gun crime is allegedly centred around London, Birmingham in the Midlands, Manchester and Liverpool. There has also been media coverage in previous years of gangs active in Leeds, Bristol and Nottingham although to a far lesser extent than the other major cities. These cities featured in a number of sensationalist articles in the earlier part of this decade when stories of turf wars and gang feuds dominated the front-pages of national and local newspapers. More recently Bradford in West Yorkshire has developed into a hotbed for drug gangs. Violent gangs are reported to be taking strongholds in smaller towns and cities such as Keighley (outside of Bradford) in West Yorkshire.

On 28 November 2007, more than 100 arrests and more than 1,300 weapons were seized in a major offensive against gun crime by gangs in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London which led to 118 arrests, more than 1000 police officers were involved in the raids. Not all of the 118 arrests were gun related; others were linked to drugs, prostitution and other crimes. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said it showed the police could "fight back against gangs".^[1]

On 21 February 2007, the BBC reported on an unpublished Metropolitan Police report on London's gang culture, identifying 169 separate groups, with more than a quarter said to have been involved in murders ^[2]. The report stated that "the largest number of gangs are in Hackney, east London (22 gangs); Enfield in north London (13); Lambeth and Merton in south London (12 gangs each); Waltham Forest in north east London (11) and Brent in north west London (11). Criminologist Dr John Pitts, from the University of Bedfordshire, said: "There are probably no more than 1,500 to 2,000 young people in gangs in all of London, but their impact is enormous." The figure quoted by Professor John Pitts has no method and it is not known whether he did actually say this as its source is a BBC news article. In 2002 the Guardian estimated that there were 30,000 gang members in England ^[3] although again there was no method behind the figure. A detailed report into gangs conducted by the Home Office estimated that 2% of 10-19 year olds were involved in gangs, this would suggest a figure of 17,044 for Greater London based on the 2001 Census.

Modern street gangs have been in existence in London as far back as the 1980s although at first they were seen as a sub-culture much like others at the time which included punks, Rastas and football hooligans. There are no official figures on the number of gangs in London and coupled with the lack of a consensus as to what a gang is it is difficult to gauge a reliable figure. An open source website ^[4] on gangs in London provides perhaps one of the most comprehensive lists and is not riddled with the geographical inaccuracies of the aforementioned 169 gangs report. Hackney, Brent and Lambeth are perceived to have the most acute gang problem although recently the boroughs suffering from the most gang related teenage murders are Newham and Enfield, specifically the Edmonton area of Enfield which has had three teenage gang related murders in 2008 to the end of March. The specific "hotspot" areas of London are Stonebridge Park, Brixton, Peckham, Harlesden and Tottenham.

Unlike in America where gangs are formed along ethncity, the make up of London gangs is more dependent on the ethnic make-up of the area where they live. For example, many of the (26 Known) gangs in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets are Bengali as this is the predominant ethnic group, in contrast many north London (Gospel Oak and Harlesden in particular) gangs are predominantly black British or black Caribbean. It is increasingly likely that most gang members in London will come from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities as the youth population (which covers the ages most likely for gang membership - 14-19) is increasingly diverse with only 1 in 5 school pupils across London being defined as white British ^[5].

The most common gangs in London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London which are predominantly Bengali are the Brick Lane Massive (BLM), Cannon Street Road Massive(CSM), Stepney Thug Passion (STP), Brady Street Massive (BSM) and other estates in the Tower Hamlets Borough.

Contents 1 London teen murders 1.1 2007 1.2 2008 2 Manchester street gangs 3 Liverpool street gangs 4 Bristol street gangs 5 Birmingham street gangs 6 References 7 External links

[edit] London teen murders

An outbreak of murders involving teenage on teenage or young men killings has spread through London since the beginning of 2007.

[edit] 2007

This section does not cite any references or sources. (June 2008) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

• January 1st, Stephen Boachie, 17, A-level student was stabbed at a petrol station in Barking, and in died hospital later that day. A 20 year old man was charged with his murder.
• January 9th, Dean Lahlou, 18, stabbed near his home in Tottenham. 18 year old Courtney Daley from Tottenham is serving nine years for manslaughter.
• January 24th, Jevon Henry, 18, a student found stabbed through the heart on a street in St John's Wood. He'd moved to London from St Lucia at the age of 13. A 21 year old man arrested on suspicion of murder was bailed.
• February 3rd, James Andre Smartt-Ford, 16, shot near the entrance to Streatham Ice Rink where 350 teenagers were attending a disco. Four teenagers have been arrested and released on bail.
• February 6th, Michael Dosunmu, 15, shot several times with a sub machine gun, as he lay in bed in Peckham. Believed to be a case of mistaken identity. Two men, aged 18 and 21, have been charged with murder.
• February 14th, Billy Cox, 15, shot dead by a rival gang at his home in Clapham. A 20 year old man has been arrested and released on bail.
• March 14th, Kodjo Yenga, 16, stabbed in the heart and leg in Hammersmith, after being chased through the streets by a gang in school uniform. Six teenagers charged with his murder.
• March 17th, Adam Regis, 15, the nephew of former Olympic sprinter John Regis was stabbed in Plaistow, after a night out with his girlfriend. Eighteen youths arrested, none were charged.
• April 6th, Paul Erhahon, 14, died after being stabbed in the heart, in the foyer of a block of flats in Leytonstone. Seven teenagers have been charged with murder.
• May 18th, Dwaine Douglas, 18, stabbed during a street fight in Thornton Heath, and died later in hospital. A 23 year old man has been charged with his murder.
• May 28th, Danielle Johnson, 17, died in hospital, two weeks after being beaten and stabbed in the chest in broad daylight in Bounds Green. A boy aged 17, is charged with her murder.
• June 19th, Sian Simpson, 18, stabbed in the heart, during an attack by a group of girls in Croydon. An 18 year old girl is charged with her murder.
• June 23rd, Ben Hitchcock, 16 & Annaka Pinto, 16
• Ben Hitchcock was stabbed in the stomach, when up to 40 youths clashed in a row about party gatecrashers in Beckenham. Twenty-three arrested, twelve released, eleven bailed.
• Annaka Pinto was shot dead in a pub in Tottenham, as she tried to calm down an argument. A man has been charged with murder, two other people are accused of assisting an offender.
• June 26th, Martin Dinnegan, 14, stabbed during a row involving up to 20 youths in a gang related attack in Holloway. Four youths are charged with his murder.
• June 26th, Abu Shahin, 17, attacked and stabbed by two men after being chased through Ilford. A 17 year old has been charged with his murder.
• July 26th, Abukar Mahamud, 16, shot in the neck on a housing estate in Stockwell. Reports he was chased by a gang before. A man was charged with his murder but the case was dropped by the CPS.
• August 3rd, Nathan Foster, 18, a youth worker shot dead by a man on a motorbike in Brixton, as he stood with a group of around ten people. A 17 year old charged with murder.
• August 30th, Mohammed Ahmed, 17, stabbed to death in the street in Newham. A 23 year old man's been arrested and bailed.
• September 16th, Edvin Johnson, 19, stabbed in the leg on a housing estate stairwell in Camberwell. He died in hospital shortly afterwards. Two 18 year olds have been released on bailed.
• October 7th, Rizwan Darbar, 17, stabbed in the chest as he tried to stop a gang stealing his friend's mobile phone in Plaistow. Five youths have been arrested and bailed
• October 14th, Philip Poru, 18, shot as he sat in car with a friend in Plumstead. His friend was also injured. There have been no arrests.
• November 14th, Etem Celebi, 17, A semi-professional footballer shot several times at close range as he sat on a wall near his home in Stoke Newington. Two teenagers have been charged with his murder.
• November 17th, Biendi Litambola, 17, beaten to death during an assault in Canning Town. Two men, aged 21 and 22, are charged with his murder. Three teenagers were arrested and released.
• November 30th, Jack Large, 14, stabbed to death in Grange Hill, near Chigwell, after getting involved in a fight. Two boys, aged 13 and 14, have been charged with his murder.
• December 15th, David Nowak, 16, stabbed to death in Stoke Newington outside a birthday party at a community centre. 14 teenagers were arrested shortly after the incident. All suspects were released.
• December 27th, Nassirudeen Osawe, 16, died after he and another boy were stabbed in broad daylight on Upper Street in Islington. The second boy suffered minor injuries. A 17 year old from Enfield has been charged with murder.

[edit] 2008

• January 1st, Henri Bolombi, 17, an English student was stabbed to death after getting off a bus in Edmonton. He was on his way home from central London after seeing in the new year with friends when he was set upon.
• January 4th, Faridon Alizada, 18, stabbed during a row at a block of flats in Erith, where two other teenagers were also hurt. two men have been charged with his murder.
• January 21st, Louis Boduka, 18, an art and design student was killed in a street fight in Edmonton, not far from where Henri Bolombi died. Police say they're looking into the possibility that this was a revenge attack for Henri's murder.
• January 26th, Fuad Buraleh, 19, died from serious head injuries after being beaten with a blunt instrument in west Ealing. He and a friend were making their way home through a park after a night out when it happened. A man has been charged with his murder.
• February 19th, Sunday Essiet, 15, a Nigerian schoolboy was chased and stabbed by a gang of youths on the Glyndon estate in Plumstead. Two men, aged 18 and 27, have been charged with his murder.
• February 23rd, Tung Le, 17, a teenager from Deptford was stabbed outside a nightclub near Trafalgar Square in the West End. He died in hospital nearly a week later. An 18 year old has been charged with attempted murder.
• February 29th, Ofiyke Nmezu, 16, was admitted to hospital in Edmonton with a fractured skull, and died shortly afterwards. Police believe he'd been hit over the head during a brawl two weeks earlier but hadn't reported it. Two teenagers and a 21 year old man have been arrested.
• March 13th, Michael Alexander Jones, 18, a Queen Mary's College geography student was found by his mother when she returned home in Edmonton. He had been tied up and slashed repeatedly with a knife and suffered horrific heard injuries.
• March 14th, Nicholas Clarke 19 was shot in the head on the Myatts Field estate in Stockwell. It is being investigated by the Metroplitan police's Operation Trident, which aims to tackle gun crime within London's black community.
• March 27th, Devoe Roach 17 & Amro Elbadawi 14
• Devoe Roach was stabbed in the heart during a row in the street, not far from Stamford Hill
• Amro Elbadawi whose family come from Egypt was attacked in Dart Street, West Kilburn as he walked home from school, just after 5pm. A 16 year old boy's been charged with murder.

[edit] Manchester street gangs

In the mid 1980s, a growth in violence amongst Black British youths from the west side of the Alexandra Park Estate in South Manchester and their rivals, West Indians living to the north of the city, in Cheetham Hill began to gain media attention.^[6] Cheetham Hill was populated by West Indians who had moved north of the city (to the spill over estate of Cheetham), from Moss Side in south Manchester. The two estates had loosely agreed not to carry out "business" in one another’s area. A robbery by Cheetham Hill, in what was seen as a Moss Side area in 1984 was followed by a dispute over a woman, which brought the two areas into conflict. Cheetham Hill criminals were the first to show firearms, at a time when gun crime in Manchester was still rare.

Towards the end of the 1980s, another group of young men from the east side of the Alexandra Park estate began dealing drugs from Moss Lane. They used the Pepperhill Pub in Bedwell Close and later became known as the Pepperhill Mob.

The gang wars in Manchester first gained national media attention in the Guardian newspaper on 7 June 1988. In the article, Clive Atkinson, deputy head of Greater Manchester CID said, "We are dealing with a black mafia which is a threat to the whole community"^[7] This came after concern over eight shootings and a gun related murder in Moss Side and Cheetham Hill when gun crime was still rare.

A report two years later, on 15 December 1990 in the Guardian newspaper described how easy access to drugs and guns was causing unease in some Manchester housing estates. It focused on the growing attraction of violent crime and combat in the "concrete jungle". Throughout the early 1990s, a great deal of national media attention was given to the 'warring gangs' of Manchester. The city was dubbed in the media as 'The Bronx of Britain', 'Gangchester' and 'Gunchester', while locals themselves dubbed Moss Side "Baby Beirut".^[8]

Whilst the city had become divided between Cheetham Hill and Moss Side, at the end of the 1980s another conflict began. Alexandra Road divided the small estate of Alexandra Park. There were to be no dealings between the north and south of the city. However, youths from the west-side carried on dealing with Cheetham Hill and they began to war with the Pepperhill Mob. The youths on the west-side who lived around Gooch Close later become known as the Gooch Close gang. Gooch Close still exists today but has been changed to Westerling Way.^[9]

The war between Gooch and Pepperhill saw a surge in violent assaults and drug related murders. At the height of it all, the Pepperhill pub was closed down and the remaining members regrouped around Doddington Close and become known as the Doddington Gang.^[10]

While the 'elders' were a threat to society the 'youngsters' to come up beneath them were even more ruthless in the trade and conflicts between the east and west of Alexandra Park were commonplace into the mid 1990s. In 1994, Andy Nott, crime correspondent for the Manchester Evening News reported that 'Gun gangs call a halt to war in the streets', on 13 August. A truce was agreed and after the initial summit, two Los Angeles street gang members who were once deadly rivals with the Bloods and Crips visited Moss Side.

In 1995 the truce broke down following the murder of Raymond Pitt. Pitt's younger brother, Tommy Pitt, broke away from the Doddington Gang to create the Pitt Bull Crew, meanwhile in Longsight, east of Moss Side, Julian Bell formed the Longsight Crew. Conflicts arose between Longsight and Gooch, Longsight and Pit Bull Crew, Pit Bull and Doddington and the Doddington and Gooch. Tit-for-tat gang shootings increased dramatically toward the end of the 1990s.^{[citation needed]}

The gang culture has spread into many deprived areas in South Manchester in recent years.^[11] Over the past years other gangs such as the Young Longsight Soldiers^[12] have appeared and gangs have splintered into smaller groups such as the Young Gooch. Also newer gangs have formed in districts further south, like Wythenshawe and Benchill. There are also many other gangs in places like Stretford and Old Trafford, with the 'Stretford Bloods' versus the 'O.T. Crips'. The gang wars that started over 20 years ago are still present in today’s Manchester. In February 2006 five men from Moss Side were jailed in what was thought to be a gang feud between the Gooch and Doddington in Manchester city centre. One recent gang-related crime occurred on 9 September 2006, in Moss Side, where Jessie James, a 15-year old schoolboy was shot dead in the early hours of the morning. His shooting is said to have been the result of a mistaken identity for a rival gang member. Up to this day his murderer has not been found.^[13]

Salford gangs - A catch-all term for the firms that operate out of the Salford area of Greater Manchester. They're predominately white and the main split is by age - one older firm of thirtysomethings and a younger firm of lads, mainly under 25. However, unlike other gangs Salford also clearly splits along family lines as well.

Cheetham Hill - Chiefly an Asian, mixed race and black gang operating out of the Cheetham Hill area of North Manchester. They're currently the tightest of all the gangs in the city and despite the relatively small size of Cheetham Hill they're arguably the largest single crew.

Gooch Close Gang - A mainly black gang that operates out of the Moss Side area of south central Manchester. They take their name from Gooch Close and are split by age. The older original members have started to move away from the area, though the younger trigger kids are still predominately Moss Side residents. And still Gooch are a powerful gang however one unameable gang have control over them. There are samller gangs that claim affiliation to the Gooch Close Gang:

• Young Gooch (YGC) - A mainly black gang (part of Gooch operating in Hulme).

• Young Longsight Soldiers (YLSS) - A mainly black gang, made up from ex-Longsight Crew members and teenagers expelled from high schools. They operate in Belle Vue, Gorton and some parts of Longsight and Levenshulme. They are enemies with Longsight Crew.

• Rusholme Cripz - A mainly black gang that operates in Rusholme.

• Old Trafford Cripz (O.T Cripz) - A mainly black gang (part of the Gooch splintered into Old Trafford). O.T Cripz main rivals are Stretford Bloods.

• Fallowfield Madd Dogz (FMD) - A mainly black street gang that operates in the Fallowfield area. Fallowfield Mad Dog enemies include Stretford Bloods and Longsight Crew.

Doddington Crew (DOG) - A mostly black gang that also operates out of the Moss Side area of south central Manchester. They take their name from Doddington Close on the West side but, unlike Gooch, the younger trigger kids dominate, as fewer older original members are still actively involved. Just like Gooch there are also gangs made up with members that claim to have ties Doddington Crew:

• Young Doddington Crew (YDC) - A mainly black gang that operates all around south central Manchester.

• Moss Side Bloodz (MSB) - A mainly black gang that operates in Moss Side on the West.

• Longsight Crew (LSC) - A mainly black street gang that operates in the Longsight area of south Manchester. The gang was initially formed in 1995. The gang is known for its notoriousness in south Manchester and is infamous for its tit-for-tat shootings against other large gangs in the area. A very well known incident occurred in St Mary's hospital where some of the gang members were recuperating from injuries. During a visit, rival members, the Gooch, began a full scale manhunt for the Longsight Crew in the hospital corridors on bikes or on foot. Nobody was killed. Also they are known as L-TOWN.

• Stretford Bloodz - A mainly black gang that operates in Stretford.

• Pitt Bull Crew (PBC) - another primarily afro Caribbean gang that was formed in 1996, following the murder of Raymond Pitt. Raymond's brother, Tommy, broke off the Doddington to form the Pitt Bull gang. They are known to control another part of the Longsight and Levenshulme area's in south central Manchester.

• D-Town (DT) - A gang based mainly in Droylesden, with the focus of the gang being around the Fairfield estate in the center of the district.

[edit] Liverpool street gangs

Street gangs in Liverpool have been in existence since the mid-19th century, with names such as the 'High Rips', 'The Cornermen', 'Logwood Gang', the 'Lemon Street Gang', the Housebreakers', and the Dead Rabbits. There were also various sectarian 'political' gangs based in and around Liverpool during this period.^[14] Dr Michael Macilwee of Liverpool John Moores University and author of The Gangs of Liverpool states, "You can learn lessons from the past and it's fascinating to compare the newspaper headlines of today with those from the late 1800s. The issues are exactly the same. People were worried about rising youth crime and the influence of 'penny dreadfuls' on people's behaviour. Like today, some commentators demanded longer prison sentences and even flogging while others called for better education and more youth clubs."

During World War II the 'Eagle and Child' alehouse (known locally in Huyton as the Bird & Bastard), became the scene of many armed gang fights between locally based USAAF versus British servicemen and Merseyside gangs.^[15]

In the early 1980s Liverpool was tagged by the media as 'Smack City' or 'Skag City' after it experienced an explosion in organised gang crime and heroin abuse, especially within the city's more deprived areas.^{[16] [17]} Liverpool is said to be the main port of entry for illegal firearms and drugs importation. It has also been suggested that distribution networks for illicit drugs within the UK and the Republic of Ireland, even allegedly some Mediterranean holiday resorts are today controlled by various Liverpool gangs.^{[18] [19]}

In the mid-1990s areas of Liverpool erupted into open gang warfare. The 'gang war' allegedly began early in 1995 when tensions had risen over control of the city's nightclubs and the profitable distribution rights of drugs. The incident which is alleged to have ignited this so-called 'gang war', was a dispute over the ownership of a bar in the Aigburth district.^[20] The dispute was between Johnny Philips, (a childhood friend of Curtis Warren), and a gang from the Dingle area of South Liverpool. Philips had taken over a drinking establishment called 'Cheers' after acquiring the deeds from the previous owner as settlement for various gambling debts. However, allegedly, the club's regulars were violently opposed to Phillips' ownership and so to settle the matter, a one-on-one fist fight, between Philips and former amateur boxing champion David Ungi^{[21] [22] [23]} was then arranged. Philips lost the fight due to the alleged use of knuckle dusters by Ungi.^[24]

Police reacted by mounting operations targeting the two warring factions, namely the Toxteth based gang linked to Curtis Warren and the neighbouring Dingle gang. Before police could intervene David Ungi was shot dead in May 1995. His death sent ripples around the Liverpool underworld. Despite alleged underworld connections, Ungi had no criminal convictions and was not involved in any known criminal activities. Following Ungi's murder, the disputed drinking den was targeted in an arson attack and within 48 hours, six houses just south of Toxteth were raked by gunfire. Ricardo Rowe (Ricky Rowe), one of those questioned over Ungi's murder, was later shot inside a gym in the Kensington area of Liverpool. Further gunshots were reported in Netherley and Dovecot between rival gang members. There were 6 shootings in 7 days.

In 2000, Dan Reed, a documentary film maker, made a short film for Channel 4's Cutting Edge documentary television series entitled Shooters^[25] in an attempt to illustrate the background which led up to the David Ungi murder and the ensuing 'gang war'. The unscripted fictional drama was filmed in Liverpool and used local 'criminals' with insights into the local 'underworld' to perform the roles. Ricky Rowe and Franny Bennett were two of the lead actors in the 'fictional drama'.^[26] It was first broadcast in December 2000. Another Liverpool local who had appeared in Shooters, Carl Seaton, was later gunned down in 2002 on Martensen Street, Edge Hill, in what was described as an execution in the Liverpool Echo and the Liverpool Daily Post.^[27]

A report in the Observer newspaper written by journalist Peter Beaumont entitled Gangsters put Liverpool top of gun league (28 May 1995), observed that turf wars had erupted within Liverpool. Some gangs were vying for the control of the cities lucrative pubs and club trade, whilst other gangs were more interested and content to battle over personal pride and territory. Beaumont also noted that there were many cross conflicts with all those involved in the 'wars', and in what he described as "Liverpool's biggest open secret". Within an 18-month period beginning in 1995, there were 80 reported shootings resulting in several murders. According to police figures there had been more than 43 gun fatalities on Merseyside. Official Home Office statistics revealed a total of 3,387 offences involving firearms had occurred in the Merseyside region during a four year period between 1997 and 2001.^[28]

In the mid-1990s former enforcer and gangster Paul Grimes^[29] became the Liverpool underworld supergrass, giving evidence which subsequently helped convict Curtis Warren and John Haase.^{[30] [31] [32] [33] [34]}

By the late 1990s guns were being used more frequently to settle even the most minor of disagreements. Tony Lawler was shot dead in one such incident which police had believed was linked to the fight to control Merseyside's lucrative club security business. Another victim of this feud was Ian Clarke who pulled up in his car outside a pub in the Anfield district of North Liverpool and was hit by a hail of bullets, he died five days later, no one has been charged with his murder. As in previous gang wars, many became victims of random gangland shootings. All were to be wounded or killed within a confined area of the city, this time in North Liverpool.^[35]

In 2003, Everton, North Liverpool, became the scene for gang violence. A feud between drugs gangs based mainly on the Grizedale Estate^[36] and criminal rivals allegedly based in nearby Kirkdale, (Riverside) had been simmering for years before it publicly hit the headlines. It had begun when Tony Richardson was sprayed with gunfire during a drive-by shooting. Richardson, whose fiancee is actress Jennifer Ellison, was allegedly wrongly accused of taking part in a gun attack on a prominent local crime family who were linked to the Kirkdale gang. The ensuing war resulted in a car and a nail bomb being used in city centre attacks, and Tuebrook police station being targeted by a car bomb. That blast, on May 13, 2004, created by packing industrial fireworks into a petrol container, was the biggest bomb on the British mainland since the IRA ceasefire.^[37] Again more reprisal shootings occurred resulting in more deaths But yet again, there were still very few convictions by the 'Merseyside Constabulary'. ^{[38] [39]} These events led to some local politicians declaring publicly that the gang wars were "out of control", and that Merseyside Police were unable to combat the gangs.

In January 2005 the British government released a report which stated that the gang wars which were plaguing the city had now spread within Liverpool prison. ^[40]

In February 2005, veteran gang leader and drug baron John Haase was described in a headline published by the New Statesman as, '...one of Britain's most dangerous drug lords. Why did Michael Howard let him out of jail after ten months?'^[41] Haase and accomplice Paul Bennett^[42] had received a Royal Pardon in 1996 from Michael Howard the then Conservative Home Secretary after serving just 11 months of an 18 year sentence. Haase from his prison cell, had allegedly supplied British intelligence services with detailed information on the whereabouts of supposed Provisional Irish Republican Army and Republican Irish dissident arms caches allegedly located around the city in return for his release.^[43]

Also in 2005 Donal MacIntyre had a gun held to his throat while investigating Liverpool's violent drug wars for his documentary television series broadcast on Channel Five.^[44] MacIntyre was later quoted in an interview as saying: "I've been around the block a few times as a journalist and we can all presume we know the way things are, but there were a few things that happened in Liverpool that opened my eyes a bit and took me by surprise".

More recent feuds making media headlines since 2006 have involved the Croxteth based 'Crocky Crew' and the 'Strand Gang', who are based in the Strand shopping area of Norris Green.^[45] The victims and the shooters in the 'wars' are becoming noticeably younger, some gang members involved are as young as 14 years old. The ongoing conflict between the Croxteth and Norris Green gangs first received media attention when shootings occurred in the March of 2006. The first victim of this spat was youth Liam Smith, an IC1 'white caucasian' male, aged 19, a self-proclaimed "soldier" of the Norris Green Strand Gang.^[46] Smith was killed by a shot to the head as he left Altcourse Prison after visiting an inmate.^[47]. ^[48]

In August 2007 the ongoing war between these two rival gangs, driven by bravado, pride, territory, and drug revenues, caused nation-wide outrage, when innocent 11 year old Rhys Jones was shot in the neck and died in his mother's arms in the car park of the Fir Tree pub in Croxteth Liverpool. ^[49]. Police have still to bring the 'teenaged' shooter to justice.^[50]

In the June of 2007 Curtis Warren was released early from prison in the Netherlands after winning a court appeal.^[51] On the July 21 2007, Warren was arrested at the harbour of St Helier, Jersey. He appeared in court on July 23 2007 on suspicion of importing drugs and was further remanded in custody. On October 4 2007 Warren appeared in Jersey's Royal Court were he pleaded not guilty to conspiring to import cannabis on to the Island. Warren and his three co-accused all pleaded not guilty and were remanded to appear in court again on 13 December 2007.^[52]

In late 2007 Stephen French's biography penned by Graham Johnson, entitled The Devil: Britain's Most Feared Underworld Taxman was published. It detailed French's past role in the Liverpool underworld. He is now known as an active anti-gang/anti-gun campaigner, and an ambassador for the 'Increase the Peace' program. ^{[53] [54]} French claimed that he was responsible for "pushing Curtis Warren into a life of crime" in a report published by the Liverpool Echo in October 2007 ^[55]

On 13 November 2007, Colin Smith was shot dead as he left an establishment known locally in Speke, Liverpool as 'Nels Gym'. Smith was allegedly Curtis Warrens 'right hand man' within the Granby gang.^[56] Alleged gang sources stated Smith's execution could provoke a major gangland backlash. Smiths murder was described as the biggest slaying since David Ungi was shot dead in 1995.^[57] The Smith family solicitor David Philips said: “Rumours about Mr Smith’s involvement in illegal activity, and being close to Curtis Warren, have been circulating around Liverpool for the last 20 years and are something the family vehemently deny."

On 14 November 2007 it was announced that Knowsley on the outskirts of Liverpool would receive up to £1 million in funding to combat local gun and gang crime. ^[58]

On 16 November 2007, it was announced that a Croxteth community centre named in memory of murdered schoolboy Rhys Jones, could possibly also become a permanent police base to aide in efforts to "reclaim the streets" from the gangs.^[59]

On 17 November 2007 David Ungi's son Michael, aged 20 was shot and wounded during a 'drive-by' shooting in Allerton South Liverpool, in what Police believe was a targeted shooting.^[60]

On 19 November 2007 it was revealed that Liverpool was the main centre for organised crime in the North of England ^[61]

Other local street gangs in the Liverpool urban area include 'The Crocky Crew', 'The Strand Gang', the 'Noggzy Edz'and the Kensington based 'KRC' (Kenny Riot Crew).

[edit] Bristol street gangs

During the 1990s the Bristol illegal drug trade was predominantly run by a local gang known as the Aggi Crew. Towards the end of the century Jamaican criminals had been moving in on Bristol, as well as many other British towns and cities. In 1998, six members of the Aggi Crew were imprisoned after being found in possession of over £1 million worth of crack-cocaine.^[62]

Following the Aggi Crew imprisonment so-called Yardie dealers began using new methods of dealing to ensure they evaded the police. Drug dealing around St Pauls Grosvenor Road area and the Black and White Cafe (now closed) rapidly reached epidemic proportions. Drug dealing and intimidation, joined by drug addicts, muggers and prostitutes, began to plague the St Pauls district of the city.^{[citation needed]}

When the Aggi Crew members were released from prison they were eager to take back their territory and made an offer to the Jamaicans. The Jamaicans were an alliance of several smaller gangs including the Hype Crew, Mountain View Posse, Back to Back Gang and the Gucci. The Aggi Crew suggested they could operate St Pauls as long as they paid a tax. The Jamaicans refused and the Aggi Crew stormed the Black and White Café robbing everyone at gunpoint.^{[citation needed]} The first incident involved a Hype Crew member being shot followed by a shooting on an Aggi Crew member. A series of tit-for-tat shootings and violent incidents took place. Armed police were drawn in to mount patrols around the St Pauls district following the release of the Aggi Crew amid fears of the growing gang violence. The patrols began in January 2003.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003 several key members of the Aggi crew were released on probation and emerged from prison to discover that in their absence the city's drug trade had been taken over by a Jamaican gang known as the Hype crew. Arming themselves, the Aggi crew stormed into the Black and White Cafe and demanded the Jamaicans pay 'tax' to them if they wanted to continue dealing in the city. Then, as a final mark of disrespect, they robbed every person in the cafe at gun point. As they handed over their money and possessions, the Jamaicans told the Aggi crew that they would not be paying them a single penny and that the only way to resolve the argument would be with guns.

It didn't take long for Avon and Somerset police to learn about the potential bloodbath. They responded by taking the unprecedented step of placing armed officers on 24-hour foot patrol in the most volatile areas - the streets around the Black and White Cafe and Stapleton Road in the neighbouring district of Easton. They also launched a series of raids on the homes of the Aggi crew.

The patrols were in response to fears of a turf war between the gangs of drug dealers known to be armed and willing to use violence against each other. However, the threat of violence lessened and patrols were withdrawn in February 2003.^[63] In September 2003, Stephen Henry, a drugs dealer's "protector" was shot dead by a rival gang during a Bristol turf war. He was shot three times as he got into his car after leaving the Level Nightclub in the city centre.^{[citation needed]}

Hundreds of armed police arrested 36 alleged crack dealers and seized drugs and firearms in a series of raids carried out over eight days in Bristol. Of the 36 people arrested, 29 were charged with drugs and firearms offences – 27 of them were Jamaican. Seven others were referred to the immigration service for deportation. The raids were the latest phase of Operation Atrium, launched in 2001 to clamp down on drug-related crime in Bristol by disrupting organised gangs. More than 960 people have been arrested in the past 18 months.^[64]

Avon and somerset police have claimed the majority of the gangs in Bristol are Black British Afro caribbean and a large number of Somalian gangs.

Now closed the Black and White Cafe was hidden behind deeply tinted windows, the Black and White Cafe was in the St Paul's district of Bristol. In a society where open drug dealing is no longer out of the ordinary, the Black and White Cafe stood out from the crowd as the biggest and most blatant hard drug den in Britain. Among drug connoisseurs, crack addicts, Jamaican gangsters and social historians the Black and White café in Bristol has a legendary status. The cafe is the most raided building in British history.

Gang battles are a sadly an every day occurrence in this very troubled city. One of the worsed incidence was in 2003 when two innocent young woman were shot in the head during a drive by shooting in a gang-related incident in the Easton area of the city.

With an estimated 12,500 crack addicts living in the St Paul's area feeding their thousand pounds a day crack habit, there is an absolute fortune to be made by the dealers.

The highly prosperous market has led to violent conflicts between rival drug gangs battling for territory.

Detective Inspector Bruce Ballagher, who runs Operation Atrium in Bristol, said: "We believe the major part of the crack supply revolves around Jamaican organised crime groups. They drive their drugs trade dealing by fear, intimidation and violence."

Control of the lucrative drug trade once made the danger seem worthwhile. Bristol's worst gang violence erupted in 2003, when Jamaican newcomers clashed with British Afro-Caribbeans for control of the local crack-cocaine market. Inspector Dave Bradnock, who helped to put the kingpins behind bars, says the old gangs are less active now. The “Aggi crew”, once key players, are out of prison but seem to have hung up their weapons and have been replaced by Jamaican yardies and younger gangs carrying on the Aggie crew name.

A report presented to Cleveland police last month noted that in 2001, just one Jamaican dealer was arrested in Middlesborough for selling Class A drugs. Last year the figure was 32. Jamaican dealers have also been arrested in North and South Wales, Hull and Aberdeen but nowhere have the problems been more apparent than in Bristol. Last month officers attached to Operation Atrium, a major initiative against the city's crack trade, arrested 56 people, 36 of whom were Jamaican nationals. Last year the same team uncovered a bogus college in the St Paul's area - scene in the 1980s of race riots sparked by drugs raids - which had provided long-term visas to more than 300 Jamaicans. Of those 'students', 45 have since been charged with drug offences, 11 with weapons charges, one with rape and another with attempted murder. A further 121 are being detained on immigration offences while 148 remain on the run.

During the 1990s, the city's drug trade was in the hands of a local gang known as the Aggi crew, an acronym formed from the surnames of the founding members, but in 1998 six of the Aggi crew were jailed after being caught dealing drugs worth more than £1 million. They had been arrested in raids involving more than 300 police officers who uncovered an arsenal of firearms including shotguns, handguns and thousands of rounds of ammunition.

The change has significantly reduced the threat of gang warfare but has left the drug trade solely in the hands of the Jamaicans. Often dismissed as 'disorganised' rather than organised crime, Jamaican dealers in Bristol have actually brought a new level of cunning to the drug business. Instead of holding wraps of crack in their mouths, the dealers on Stapleton Road placed the drugs in old Coke cans which would then be left in the gutter. After handing over their money, customers would then be directed to the nearest can. The scam made it almost impossible for police to link batches of drugs to specific dealers and gave some degree of protection from prosecution.

To prevent their merchandise being swept away, the dealers also launched a massive campaign of intimidation against the council's utility workers. Refuse collections halted altogether in many areas as did road and pavement repairs (dealers were also hiding drugs in the cracks in the pavement). The dealers then turned their attention to the workers attempting to install CCTV systems. Within weeks Stapleton Road had become known as the 'street of fear' with dealers, prostitutes and muggers operating with virtual impunity. In a seven-month period, 915 crimes were recorded along a 150-metre stretch.

Although Avon and Somerset police have poured massive resources into dealing with the problem and made great progress, they admit that they are far from finding a solution. The police have made more than 800 arrests in the past 18 months but on the streets the problem remains as bad as ever, Detective Chief Inspector Neil Smart, head of Operation Atrium. 'There is a lot of gun crime that we do not get to hear about and we suspect there have been drive-by shootings at the Black and White Cafe that have never been reported. The place is known around the world. Two of my officers were on assignment in Jamaica and they overheard two locals talking about the Black and White being the place to go to get drugs in Bristol.'

[edit] Birmingham street gangs

The 1980s saw gang culture grow in Birmingham, which came about mainly in the late 1970s. Most of the gangs in Birmingham are ethnic gangs which came about to protect their communities against far-right parties such as the National Front, but as multiculturalism in the city grew rapidly and far-right parties subsided the gangs turned to crime and deviance^{[citation needed]}. Although the Birmingham gangs have a history dating back to the 1970s, most were not brought to the public's attention until New Years Eve, 2003, when a high-profile drive-by shooting in the Birchfield area (in the Aston ward of Birmingham) claimed the lives of two teenage girls, Letisha Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis.

Several gangs operate in the Birmingham area, the most well known being those involved in the shootings of Ellis and Shakespeare. New younger gangs too are appearing and also prominent Yardie gangs. The violent crime rate in Birmingham has risen dramatically in recent years to the growth of gangs in the city, in 2006 six out of the ten most gun crime affected area's in the UK were in Birmingham^{[citation needed]}.

The riot in Lozells October 2005 saw black and Asian gangs clash on a large scale. This was due to an unfounded rumor that several Asian men had gang raped a black girl which sparked the violence. The violent clashes in the volatile area of Lozells claimed three lives and scores of injuries, the riots brought about alliances between gangs of the same ethnicity which were previously unthinkable, such as the alliance between the Burger Bar Boys and Johnson Crew. Alosoref>

[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/4370288.stm Man shot dead close to riot scene BBC, accessed 29/10/07</ref> The weeks after the riots saw a massive rise of gun crime in that area of the city mainly between Asian and Black gangsters. The riots were later accredited to a power struggle of drug turf between Asian and black gangsters, the underlying social and economic deprivation in Lozells and of those two particular communities^{[citation needed]}.

Due to the huge influx of immigrants into the city of Birmingham and the West Midlands region as a whole the number of 'immigrant gangs' or 'foreign gangs' has seen a steep incline which has resulted in many community liaison missions between the police, the council and community leaders to help ease the problem of rising new immigrant gangs in the city, because Birmingham is a city built on immigration and globalisation and considered one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, it cannot be assumed the problems of gang and gun culture in Birmingham is due to the cities huge ethnic communities^{[citation needed]}.

The most notable gangs in the city are the Lynx Gang, the Muslim Birmingham Paki Panthers, the Kashmiri Mesereahs, Shere Punjab, The Johnson Crew, Bloods, The Burger Bar Boyz, Babbar Khalsa, The Handsworth Nigga Squad and the South West Yardies to name a few. There are a number of Chinese and Vietnamese gangs operating in the city under numbers rather than names such as the 14K. Also, though not really defined by name because of their very shadowy nature East European, Russian, Kurdish and Turkish gangs have been operating in the city for many years, such gangs are involved in organised crime such as people smuggling, prostitution and serious fraud rather than the supplying and dealing of narcotics that is seen mainly with Punjabi and Jamaican gangs in the city, though it must be noted that Kashmiri gangs have in recent year also turned to serious fraud^{[citation needed]}.

There are other gangs that fall under the Burger Boys sometimes also known as 'Bang Bang'. These crews mostly originate from Handsworth, Winson Green and Mosely. Some of these crews are Handsworth Town Crooks (HTC), Blood Brothers, Real Man Dem (RMD), Ghetto Hustla Boys (GHB) and Raleigh Close Crew (RCC). These crews are recognised by wearing red bandanas on the right side or a red t-shirt or jacket. Another crew that has been attracting a lot of attention is Birminghams Most Wanted (BMW)which is recognised for wearing the same things but in green. They are well known for their phrase 'stay mean, stay green'. Some of the gang member have got tattoos that say 'stay green'. BMW was once a gang which had member from all over the city and maybe even members from other gangs. But during the summer of 2005 there was a power struggle. Some of the members of BMW where part of the Johnson Crew and some where from the Burger Boys and at that time the leaders of BMW where 'Bang Bang'. There was then conflict between the gang and they split up and the rest of BMW join the Burger Boys but they are still known as BMW.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• .
• BBC Guide to gangs in Manchester
• BBC News. Public meeting over turf war.
• BBC News. Residents react to armed patrols.
• BBC News. Armed police patrols withdrawn.
• BBC News. Shootings were gang related.
• BBC News. Man shot in contract killing.
• BBC News. Keighley Gangland Threat.
• BBC News Report. What can be done about gun crime?
• BBC News. Police to hold talks with gangs.
• Telegraph & Argus. Bradford gangland feuding.
• Merseyside Police Force. Anti-Gun/Anti-Crime, Matrix Unit.
• Liverpool gang kids told: "You are wasting your life".
• Liverpool Times.
• London Against Gun and Knife Crime website
• Discussion groups related to England gangs and archived news reports on all major gangs in England
• "BBC World Service - Girl Gangs"