These 10 criminal gangs run the global underworld—and their stories are wilder than any movie. Keep scrolling to uncover the ruthless syndicates that even governments fear.
TOP10. The Mafia
TOP9. Yakuza
Japan’s openly operating Yakuza has ostensibly elected godfathers who even hold press conferences to announce their positions. With a centuries-long history, it’s Japan’s most powerful criminal force, boasting around 200,000 members (87,000 in Yamaguchi-gumi, 53,000 in Inagawa-kai, 35,000 in Sumiyoshi-kai) and annual revenue exceeding $130 billion. It retains three Tokugawa-era traditions: sake-sharing and allegiance swearing for new members, mandatory tattoos, and finger-cutting as atonement. During street riots, Yakuza members may even arrive before the police; the group has a strict hierarchy and strong familial bonds, where “fathers” protect “children” in exchange for absolute loyalty.
TOP8. Hongmen – The World’s Largest Gang by Membership
Hongmen, the world’s largest gang by membership, had over 900,000 global members by 2005. Evolved from the Ming-Qing “Tiandihui” (Heaven and Earth Society), it has a 400-year history and branches in more than 20 countries. Over 90,000 people attended leader Lin Shen’s 1992 funeral in Honolulu, including Hongmen leaders from around the world and representatives of major global criminal syndicates.
TOP7. The Rothschild Family
Who’s behind the U.S. Federal Reserve, which prints dollars? The Rothschilds controlled nearly the entire world’s economic lifeline for two centuries; at their peak, their wealth accounted for half of the global total, earning them the title of Europe’s “Sixth Empire” in the 19th century. Former U.S. President John F. Kennedy made the foolish attempt to take them down, and this miscalculation led to his assassination.
TOP6. Hells Angels
Canada’s arrogant Hells Angels, led by a figure codenamed “Old Solin” with Smith as a key member, traces its name to 1960s American biker hippies. Founded in Montreal in the 1980s, it’s Canada’s top criminal organization with around 40,000 members, focusing primarily on drug trafficking. A 1995-2002 turf war in Quebec between the Hells Angels and the Rock Machine killed 160 people; on September 26, 2001, the leaders of both groups signed a historic truce in court. Known for cruising on motorcycles, they engage in robberies, extortion, sex trade, and smuggling—all members are fanatical Harley-Davidson devotees, making it the world’s largest biker gang.
TOP5. Aryan Brotherhood
The Aryan Brotherhood is a prison-based gang founded in 1964 at San Quentin State Prison. It has spread nationwide and is linked to numerous prison deaths in the U.S. Known for their swastika tattoos and shaved heads, members adhere to white supremacist ideologies. The U.S. Anti-Defamation League (ADL) identifies it as one of America’s most violent extremist criminal gangs.
TOP4. American Jewish Mob – The Brains of the Underworld
Known as the “Brains of the Underworld,” the American Jewish Mob is spearheaded by Meyer Lansky—a childhood friend of Lucky Luciano and the only foreigner allowed to attend the Mafia’s national conventions. Bound by shared ambition and a penchant for violence, the two became calm, professional criminals. Lansky transformed the Mafia from a violent, thuggish group into a well-organized syndicate. In the 1920s, he and Luciano founded the “Big Seven Group” to monopolize New York’s bootlegging industry; later, they invested in Las Vegas’ development as a gambling hub, owning 28 casinos there with the Mafia by the 1960s.
TOP3. Mexican Drug Cartels – Gangs Fattened by the Border
Mexican Drug Cartels, dubbed “gangs fattened by the border,” thrive along the U.S.-Mexico border, smuggling over $10 billion worth of drugs into the U.S. annually. Kidnapping is their traditional racket, ranking second globally only to Colombia. Six major cartels control the 3,200-kilometer border, amassing enormous wealth and attracting drug and human smugglers. In November 2002, during Spain’s King Juan Carlos I’s official visit to Mexico, the Spanish ambassador’s car—bearing diplomatic plates—was robbed by cartel thugs. The embassy later stated it had no intention of reporting the incident, calling it “a complete waste of time.”
TOP2. Triads
Regarded as the world’s largest and most feared criminal groups, the Triads have expanded globally alongside Chinese migration, establishing roots in over 20 countries (including the Netherlands, Malaysia, Australia, and the U.S.). Hong Kong alone is home to 50 Triad-affiliated gangs, and the U.N. recognizes them as a top threat to global security. This secretive, well-organized gang engages in a wide range of crimes; a Western expert claims they handle 90% of the world’s heroin trade, though the group’s secrecy makes it hard to separate fact from rumor.
TOP1. Russian Mafia – Benefiting from the End of the Cold War
Russia’s rampant Mafia—regional criminal groups that have infiltrated politics and the economy to secure legitimacy—gained the freedom to collaborate globally after the Cold War. They supply weapons to Nigeria, buy drugs from Colombia, launder money with the Italian Mafia, and partner with the Japanese Yakuza to expand the sex trade. Their attempts to traffic nuclear materials have long haunted the U.S. government. The FBI director has stated that the Russian Mafia has replaced the former Soviet military as a new threat to European and American security systems. Evidence includes the 2000 daylight killings of Baltic Oil President Kalush in the city center and a 35-year-old brewery second-in-command outside his home, as well as the 2002 seizure of over 2,000 weapons (including 100+ hand grenades and 21 machine guns) in St. Petersburg—local media called this “merely the tip of the iceberg.
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