The Most Dangerous Gang in Central New Jersey Isn’t Even From New Jersey
One of the many not-so-savory things New Jersey is notorious for? Crime.
Petty crime, violent crime, cyber crime...and organized crime, just to name a few. Sure, New Jersey may be more famous for mafia-related organized crime (Thanks, Sopranos, aka the best show of all time), but there's also plenty of gang activity too.
There's probably more gang groups that you would guess in New Jersey, and they all vary in size and threat level depending of what region of New Jersey you're in - North, Central and South Jersey.
According to the New Jersey State Police Statewide Gang Assessment:
"Gangs in New Jersey vary in their degree of organization and structure. Although it has not completely disappeared, it appears to be increasingly less common for gangs to be highly- structured criminal groups. Rather, loose affiliations dominate, and gang members are often involved in their own criminal activity as opposed to engaging in criminal activity in the name of the gang. There is a recent movement toward gang hybridization, and neighborhood-based gangs continue to become more common."
So what is the most dangerous gang in Central Jersey?
According to the Statewide Gang Assessment, the gang that poses the biggest threat in Central Jersey is the Fruit Town Brims Set. If you've never heard that name before, good! But chances are you're probably more familiar with their origination - The Bloods.
The Fruit Town Brims set is actually a regional subdivision of The Bloods, which originated in Compton, California. Ever since the 70s, their presence has migrated to Central Jersey and made a home. However, FTB is more loosely organized. Their rivals within Ocean County include Grape Street Crips, Piru Bloods, and G-Shine Bloods.
You'll also notice that hot on their tails are the Rollin 60s Set, Bloods, and Hells Angels MC - pretty much just as dangerous as the Fruit Town Brims Set.
Granted, Central Jersey can be loosely defined - it all depends on who you ask. But for the purpose of this assessment, Central Jersey is comprised of these counties:
- Ocean
- Mercer
- Monmouth
- Hunterdon
- Burlington
- Middlesex
There's nothing pretty about gang life, so the more you know what to be wary of when you come across suspicious folks, the better. You can check out the National Gang Center for resources and information.
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Gallery Credit: Dave Wheeler