List of gangs in Belize

The following is a list of collective or corporate entities involved in organised crime in Belize, including street gangs, drug cartels, mafias, criminal enterprises, and criminal syndicates. This list includes both known or suspected and active or defunct entities. Tongs, outlaw motorcycle clubs, as well as terrorist, militant, and paramilitary groups are included only if involved in organised crime. Entities not based in Belize are included only if they are known to have or suspected of having members, chapters, or operations in Belize.[n 1]

Gangs

Bloods and Crips gangs were introduced to Belize by US deportees in the 1980s, and especially adopted by locals upon the 1988 release of Colors.[1] A boom in violent and organised crime followed, not yet mitigated by the 2020s.[n 2] As of 2019, there were at least three dozen gangs in Belize City, each loosely affiliated to Bloods or Crips, totalling some 900 to 1,400 members.[n 3]

Name Aff Base Size Age No State Cf
Gill Street
Gill Street Bloods 		Bloods South Minor 24.0 25 Active [2]
Kraal Street
Kraal Road Crips 		Crips South Minor 26.5 25 Active [3]
Taylor's Alley
Taylor's Alley Crips, Taylor's Alley Bloods, West Molan Bloods 		? North Major 23.5 35 Active [4]
Supal Road
Supal Road Gang, Supal Street Gang, Supal Street Crips, Supal Street Bloods 		? South Minor 26.0 35 Active [5]
Euphrates
Euphrates Bloods 		Bloods South Minor N/a N/a ? [6]
Wagner's Lane ? South Minor N/a N/a ? [7]
Rocky Road
Rocky Road Gang, Rocky Road Crips, Rocky Road Bloods 		? South Minor 26.0 18 Active [8]
Pinks Alley ? North Minor N/a N/a ? [9]
Neighbourhood
Neighbourhood Bloods 		Bloods South Minor N/a N/a ? [10]
Kick Down Fence ? South Minor N/a N/a ? [11]
George Street
GSG, George Street Gang, George Street Bloods, Plum Street, Devon Bailey Area, George Street Gaza Gang 		Bloods South Major 31.5 45 Active [n 4]
Victoria Street
Victoria Street Bloods 		Bloods North Minor 26.0 27 Active [12]
Pickstock Street
Pickstock Hutment Crips 		Crips North Minor N/a N/a Active [13]
Kelly Street
Kelly Street Crips 		Crips North Minor 26.0 25 Active [14]
Back-a-Town
Back-a-Town Bloods, Back-a-Town Crips 		? South Minor 29.5 25 Active [15]
Ghost Town
Ghost Town Crips, Banak Street, Mayflower Street, Banak Crips, Banak Zone Gang 		Crips South Minor 28.0 65 Active [16]
Raiders ? South Minor N/a N/a ? [17]
Amara Street
Amara Street Bloods, Amara Bloods 		Bloods South Minor 24.5 23 Active [18]
Jerusalem
Jerusalem Gang, Jerusalem Bloods, Jerusalem Crips 		? South Minor 28.5 13 Active [19]
Trapp
Trapp Bloods 		Bloods North Minor N/a N/a ? [20]
PIV
Peace in the Village Bloods, Peace in the Valley Bloods, St Thomas PIV 		Bloods South Major 26.0 150 Active [n 5]
Jane Usher
Jane Usher Bloods 		Bloods South Minor 26.0 40 Active [21]
Southside
Southside Gang, South Side Gang, Southside Gangsters, Southside Crips 		Crips South Major 26.0 95 Active [n 6]
Sunset
Sunset Crips 		Crips South Minor 24.5 13 Active [22]
Majestic Alley
Majestic Alley Crips 		Crips North Major 28.5 38 Active [23]
Pregnant Alley
Pregnant Alley Gang 		? ? Major N/a N/a ? [n 7]
Brick City
Brick City Gang 		? ? Minor N/a N/a ? [24]
Back-a-Land
BLC, Back-a-Land Crips 		Crips South Major 29.5 25 Active [25]
Conch Shell
Conch Shell Bloods, Conch Shell Bay Bloods, Lauriano Bloods 		Bloods South Minor 24.5 28 Active [26]
Jump Street
Jump Street Gang, Jump Street Crips 		Crips South Minor 27.0 25 Active [27]
123rd
123rd Gang 		? South Minor N/a N/a Active [28]
Afghanistan
Afghanistan Gang, Afghanistan Bloods 		Bloods South Minor 24.5 13 Active [29]
Gaza New Generation
Gaza New Generation Bloods 		Bloods South Major 15.0 80 Active [n 8]
Jungle
Jungle Bloods 		Bloods ? Minor 26.0 30 Active [30]
Louise Bevans
Louise Bevans Crips, Louise Bevins Crips, Freedom Street 		Crips South Minor 24.5 35 Active [31]
Antelope Street
Antelope Street Bloods, Antelope Extension Bloods, Antelope Crew, Crenshaw Bloods 		Bloods South Minor 27.0 28 Active [32]
Lacroix Boulevard
Lacroix Boulevard Bloods 		Bloods ? Minor 25.5 28 Active [33]
Police Street
Police Street Crips 		Crips ? Minor 26.0 30 Active [34]
Plum Tree
Plum Tree Bloods 		Bloods ? Minor 24.5 23 Active [35]
Kings Park
Kings Park Crips 		Crips ? Minor 29.0 18 Active [36]
103 New Road
103 New Road Bloods 		Bloods North Minor 21.0 18 Active [37]
Riverside Boys ? ? Minor 16.0 18 Active [38]
102
102 Crips, Parham Crips 		Crips ? Minor 26.5 13 Active [39]
Belama
Belama Bloods, Riverside Bloods 		Bloods ? Minor 25.0 13 Active [40]
Simon Lamb Street
Simon Lamb Street Crips 		Crips ? Minor 27.5 13 Active [41]
Neals Penn Road
Neals Penn Road Bloods, Gaza Bloods 		Bloods ? Minor 25.0 13 Active [42]
Horse and Carriage
Horse and Carriage Bloods 		Bloods ? Minor 23.5 13 Active [43]
Brian Brown Faction
Brian Brown Crew 		? South Minor N/a N/a Active [44]
Nurse Finley Faction
Nurse Finley Faction Gang 		? ? Minor N/a N/a Active [45]
Genaside
Genaside Gang 		? ? Minor N/a N/a Active [46]
T Street Faction
T Street Faction Gang 		? ? Minor N/a N/a Active [47]

George Street

George Street
Foundedca late 1980s
FounderHeathcliff Reyes
Founding locationGeorge Street, Belize City, Belize
Territoryca 138 acres about George Street (2018)
Membership (est.)40–50 (2018); up to 150 (2019)
Leaders
List
  • Heathcliff Reyes
  • Lyndon Tunan Arnold
  • Sheldon Pinky Tillett
  • Gerald Shiny Tillett Sr
Rivals
List

George Street are a Bloods-affiliated street gang in Southside Belize City, allegedly formed in the late 1980s by US deportee Heathcliff Reyes to oppose the concurrently formed Majestic Alley (Crips).[n 9] They (with Majestic Alley) are thought to be the country's earliest gangs.[48] They initially claimed all the Southside as their base of operations.[49] Their alleged 1992 murder of Derek Itza Brown (Majestic Alley leader) is thought to have kicked off gang warfare in Belize.[50]

The 2000s saw Heathcliff shot dead by police,[48] the rise to prominence of the Tillett family in the gang,[48] and a bitter rivalry with the neighbouring Taylor's Alley (Bloods) which bled into the 2010s.[48] The late 2000s is thought to have been a boon to the gang, allegedly culminating in successful hits against leaders of rival gangs (Southside, Brick City, Ghost Town) in 2010.[51] In 2011, they joined a government-mediated gang truce, which is thought to have come undone partially due to the 2012 killing of their then-leader, Sheldon Pinky Tillett, allegedly by Taylor's Alley.[52]

In late 2018, their (with PIV's, Back a Land's, Southside's) gang territory was estimated as amongst the largest (of 36) in the country.[53] Their numbers were estimated at 40 to 50,[54] with a mean age of 32 (the only gang whose members' average age was in the 30s, rather than 20s or teens).[55] In 2019, they were deemed "the most powerful [of 24 gangs]" given their membership ("up to 150 gang members") and organisation ("well developed internal informal hierarchies").[56]

In 2021, they (with PIV, Southside, Gaza New Generation) were considered amongst the largest gangs (of "over 40") in the country.[57]

Majestic Alley

Majestic Alley
Foundedca late 1980s
FounderFredrick Diggy Dap Lynch
Founding locationMajestic Alley, Belize City, Belize
Territoryca 11 acres about Majestic Alley (2018)
Membership (est.)25–50 (2018)
Leaders
List
  • Fredrick Diggy Dap Lynch
  • Derek Itza Brown
RivalsGeorge Street

Majestic Alley are a Crips-affiliated street gang in Northside Belize City, allegedly formed in the late 1980s by US deportee Fredrick Diggy Dap Lynch to oppose the concurrently formed George Street (Bloods).[n 9] They (with George Street) are thought to be the country's earliest gangs.[48] They initially claimed all the Northside as their base of operations.[49] Their alleged 1992 murder of Lyndon Tunan Arnold (George Street leader) is thought to have kicked off gang warfare in Belize.[50]

Lynch is thought to have fled the country upon witnessing the 2007 murder of a close associate (Crips leader George Junie Balls McKenzie).[48]

In late 2018, their gang territory was estimated as being on the smaller side (a few blocks).[58] Their numbers were estimated at 25 to 50,[54] with a mean age of 29.[54]

Other entities

Guatemalan and Mexican groups use Belize to receive, store, and move illicit drugs and precursor chemicals.[59] Furthermore, Belizean gangs seemingly provide logistical help in return for illicit drugs and arms.[60]

Name Base Size State Cf
Mendoza clan
Mendoza family 		Guatemala Major ? [n 10]
Zetas
Los Zetas 		Mexico Major ? [61]
Sinaloa
Sinaloa Cartel 		Mexico Major ? [62]
MS-13
Mara Salvatrucha 		El Salvador Major Active [63]

See also

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^ Notes and short citations provided in Cf columns. For gangs, Aff, Base, Age, and No columns give gang affiliation (Bloods or Crips), location in Belize City (Northside versus Southside), estimated mean age of members, and estimated median tally of members, respectively. This article uses ACLED data (Raleigh 2023, filtered for Belize on 16 July 2025) for information on recent (2018 and later) gang-related incidents.
  2. ^ For instance, Warnecke 2019 found the murder rate has been steadily increasing since the 1990s (pp. 4-6, 197, 209), noting the state, scholars, and press often blame gangs for the vast majority of crime (pp. 1, 8, 198, 209-210).
  3. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 210; Young 2019m, pp. xv, 19–20. Though data 'is limited' (Young 2019m, p. 19).
  4. ^ Warnecke 2019, pp. 214–216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22, 24; Raleigh 2023. Deemed 'the most powerful' with up to 150 members and 'well developed internal informal hierarchies' (Warnecke 2019, p. 215). Main rivals deemed Southside Gang and Pregnant Alley Gang (Warnecke 2019, p. 215). NYC killing of leader Lyndon 'Tunan' Arnold (in retaliation for 1992 killing of alleged Majestic Alley Crips leader Derek 'Itza' Brown) deemed 'most visible initial event' of incipient gang warfare, after which 'violence between gangs became more and more entrenched and the level of violence increased' (Warnecke 2019, p. 214). 2012 killing of leader Shelton 'Pinky' Tillett broke a 2011 government-mediated truce of 13 gangs, including GSG (Warnecke 2019, pp. 219–220).
  5. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22; Raleigh 2023. Deemed one of 'largest gangs by estimated number of members' (Young 2019m, p. 20).
  6. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 215-216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22; Raleigh 2023. Deemed 'second in terms of organisational capacities' to main rivals GSG (Warnecke 2019, p. 215). Deemed one of 'largest gangs by estimated number of members' (Young 2019m, p. 20).
  7. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 215. Deemed 'second in terms of organisational capacities' to main rivals GSG (Warnecke 2019, p. 215).
  8. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22. Deemed one of 'largest gangs by estimated number of members' (Young 2019m, p. 20).
  9. ^ a b Janowitz 2021. Per first-hand account by Leslie Pipe Pipersburgh (former Crips member) in 2021 (Janowitz 2021).
  10. ^ Bunker 2013, pp. 183, 194. Well-connected crime family; Zetas arrival [likely 2007] 'forced them to change their calculus' (Bunker 2013, pp. 180–181). Allegedly use(d) Belize 'as a respite and strategic headquarters' (Bunker 2013, p. 183).
  1. ^ Janowitz 2021; Warnecke 2019, pp. 210, 212.
  2. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  3. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  4. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22, 24.
  5. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22; Raleigh 2023.
  6. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216.
  7. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216.
  8. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22; Raleigh 2023.
  9. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216.
  10. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216.
  11. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216.
  12. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22; Raleigh 2023.
  13. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, p. 22.
  14. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  15. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22; Raleigh 2023.
  16. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22; Raleigh 2023.
  17. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216.
  18. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  19. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  20. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216.
  21. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  22. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 216; Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  23. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 214; Young 2019m, pp. 21–22, 24; Raleigh 2023.
  24. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 219.
  25. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22, 24; Raleigh 2023.
  26. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  27. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22; Raleigh 2023.
  28. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 22.
  29. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  30. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  31. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  32. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  33. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  34. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  35. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  36. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  37. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  38. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  39. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  40. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  41. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  42. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  43. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 21–22.
  44. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9, 22, 24.
  45. ^ Raleigh 2023.
  46. ^ Raleigh 2023.
  47. ^ Raleigh 2023.
  48. ^ a b c d e f Janowitz 2021.
  49. ^ a b Warnecke 2019, pp. 212–213.
  50. ^ a b Warnecke 2019, p. 214.
  51. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 219.
  52. ^ Warnecke 2019, pp. 219–220.
  53. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 9–10, 19–20, 22.
  54. ^ a b c Young 2019m, p. 21.
  55. ^ Young 2019m, pp. 20–21.
  56. ^ Warnecke 2019, p. 215.
  57. ^ Krylova 2023, p. 19.
  58. ^ Young 2019m, p. 22.
  59. ^ Bunker 2013, p. 183.
  60. ^ Bunker 2013, p. 183; Krylova 2023, p. 9.
  61. ^ Bunker 2013, p. 194.
  62. ^ Bunker 2013, p. 194.
  63. ^ Krylova 2023, p. 19; Raleigh 2023.

References

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  2. Baird A (2019). "'Man a Kill a Man for Nutin': Gang Transnationalism, Masculinities, and Violence in Belize City". Men and Masculinities. 24 (3): 411–431. doi:10.1177/1097184X19872787.
  3. Young HA, Patrick A (2023). "Gangs in the City: Profiles of Reality". Journal of Belizean Research. 1 (2). Art no 9.
  4. Janowitz N (15 July 2021). "How the US exported a Bloods and Crips gang war to Belize". Vice. New York.
  5. Warnecke-Berger H (2019). Politics and Violence in Central America and the Caribbean. Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan Cham. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-89782-0. ISBN 978-3-319-89781-3. LCCN 2018942510.
  6. Baird A (2024). From South Central to Southside: Gang Transnationalism, Masculinity, and Disorganized Violence in Belize City. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Temple University Press. ISBN 9781439923351. LCCN 2023059602.
  7. Bunker RJ, ed. (2013). Criminal Insurgencies in Mexico and the Americas: The Gangs and Cartels Wage War. London: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-53375-1. LCCN 2016438196.
  8. Young M (2019). King DM (ed.). Belize City Community Gang Assessment (Report). Washington, DC: IDB. doi:10.18235/0001860.
  9. Krylova Y, Rico D (2023). Regional Hubs for Illicit Trade in Central America: Panama, Belize, and Guatemala (Report). Arlington, Virginia: TraCCC.
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