NCJ Number
147618
Date Published
1988
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This paper profiles the Crips and Bloods, Los Angeles- based gangs, how they establish their narcotics trafficking activities in communities outside of Los Angeles, and some enforcement techniques that have been effective.
Abstract
The Crips and Bloods are the names used as an umbrella under which many Los Angeles African-American street gangs align themselves. When these gangs began dealing rock cocaine in Los Angeles rock houses, the large sums of money produced gave the gangs more power and influence than they had ever known. Their current strategy is to purchase cocaine cheaply in Los Angeles and resell it elsewhere for a much greater profit. Thier narcotics trafficking has spread as far west as Hawaii, as far east as Chicago, and as far north as Alaska. Various Crip and Blood factions have begun to cooperate with each other based on drug trafficking. They have established funds from drug money to provide for bail and lawyers. Some of the older and more successful street gang members in Los Angeles County have purchased legitimate businesses to launder money. These businesses include car washes, auto painting/body and fender shops, motels, auto dealerships, and liquor stores. An effective way of dealing with gang members after they have been arrested is to place ID holds on them and to obtain bail enhancements that have been on the average of a 100,000 dollars. The ID holds have produced the true names of a number of arrested subjects to reveal extensive arrest records. Inservice training of uniformed officers regarding the Crip and Blood drug problem is essential for receiving timely intelligence.