In the beginning, they were made up largely of second-generation Hispanics.
The 18th Street gang grew by expanding its membership to other nationalities and races, and it was among the first multiracial, multi-ethnic gangs in Los Angeles.
The two gangs have been bitter rivals ever since. This proposal was rejected by the Clanton 14, which led to the formation of the 18th Street gang. They were originally part of Clanton 14 but wanted to make a separate "clique" called Clanton 18th Street and allow immigrants the opportunity to join. There is conflicting information as to the exact area, but this is a generally accepted area by most academic sources. A United States Department of Justice report featured the following statement regarding 18th Street and rival gang MS-13, "These two gangs have turned the Central American northern triangle into the area with the highest homicide rate in the world." ġ8th Street gang started near 18th Street and Union Avenue in the Rampart District of Los Angeles. It is one of the largest transnational criminal gangs in Los Angeles, with 30,000 to 50,000 members between the United States, Mexico, and Central America and is also allied with the Mexican Mafia, another US-based crime organization. Mainly Mexicans, Salvadorans, Hondurans, and Guatamalansĭrug trafficking, assault, arson, robbery, kidnapping, pandering, money laundering, extortion, arms trafficking, human trafficking, theft, murder, racketeering, fraud.ġ8th Street, also known as Calle 18, Barrio 18, Mara 18, or simply La 18 in Central America, is a multi-ethnic (largely Central American and Mexican) transnational criminal organization that started as a street gang in Los Angeles. Central America, Mexico, United States, Canada, Quezon City, Manila City and Makati City