List of gangs in the Grand Theft Auto 3 era



The following is a list of prominent criminal gangs in the Grand Theft Auto III era. This article primarily deals with gangs appearing within:


 * Grand Theft Auto III (GTA III), set in 2001.
 * Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (GTA:VC), set in 1986.
 * Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (GTA:SA), set in 1992.
 * Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (GTA:LCS), set in 1998.
 * Grand Theft Auto Advance (GTAA), set in 2000
 * Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (GTA:VCS), set in 1984.

Leone Family
Appearances: GTA III, GTA:SA, GTA:LCS, GTA A(Advance)

Leader: Salvatore Leone

The Leone family is an Italian American Mafia criminal organization, originating from Sicily - referred to by Salvatore Leone as "the old country" - whose main base of operations is in Liberty City. They hold various assets in Portland, including Cipriani's Restaurante, Sex Club 7, and Joey's Auto Painting Shop. Their main base of operations, however, is Salvatore's mansion, which is in the northeast end of the Saint Mark's district near the beach. Their principal modus operandi is protection, extortion, and robbery.

Salvatore Leone became the Don of the Leone family after a bloody power struggle during the mid-1980s. He has a son, Joey Leone, who, much to Salvatore's dismay, is not yet wed. It is assumed that Salvatore became Don after his unnamed brother was killed.

The Leone family was also active in Las Venturas, where they held a stake in Caligula's Casino with the Sindacco and Forelli families, as agreed upon in 1992 (San Andreas), possibly in an attempt to unite the organizations. Salvatore Leone would eventually seize total control of the casino in 1992 after the death of Johnny Sindacco, only to have his casino robbed later in a heist organized by former ally Carl Johnson. The shock of Carl (previously a loyal associate) betraying him and stealing so much of his money right from under his nose drove the Don to paranoia. It is assumed that, because of the great loss of money from the heist, Salvatore abandons his investments in Las Venturas and returns to Liberty City, allowing the Sindacco family to retake their position within the city. However, this is merely speculation.

The Leone family are engaged in the First Gang War of 1998 with the Sindacco family in Liberty City Stories, which they win, with Toni Cipriani, the Leone family's Caporegime, eventually killing Don Paulie Sindacco. In the process, they take over Paulie's Revue Bar (later renamed as "Sex Club 7") as well as the Red Light District and Hepburn Heights, destroying all the influence the Sindacco family once held in Portland. They also engage in some open warfare against the Forelli family, but are mostly content to prolong the hostilities between the Sindacco and Forelli families, allowing them to wipe each other out. The Forelli family's power is seemingly broken when Toni unknowingly obliterated their main base of operations on Staunton Island while working for Donald Love. With Toni and Salvatore taking out the Sicilians responsible for starting the gang wars, the Leone family becomes the pre-eminent Mafia family in Liberty City.

Three years later, in GTA III, the Leone family has declined in power, although they are still one of the strongest crime syndicates in town. Their territory in Chinatown has been openly taken by the Triads (although they still have businesses there), Hepburn Heights now belongs to the Diablos (as Toni Cipriani predicted it would in Liberty City Stories) and the Colombian Cartel is undermining them by selling cheap SPANK from their freighter in the harbor. Joey Leone, the underboss of the Leone family, engages in a small, subtle war with the now-weakened Forelli family, ordering the killing of Mike "Lips" Forelli. In the same year, the Leone family engage in a full-scale war with the Liberty City Triads after certain businesses in Chinatown stop paying their protection money to the Leone family. The war is long and concludes in three of the Triad Warlords being killed, as well as the Triad Fish Factory being destroyed by a bomb set off from a garbage truck.

Claude was seen working for the Leone family in GTA III, killing Lips Forelli, acting as their main agent against the Triads, and destroying the Colombian Cartel's freighter. However, Don Salvatore Leone eventually betrays Claude, ordering him to retrieve a car secretly rigged with explosives. It was later revealed that Salvatore had grown paranoid of Claude. Salvatore had offered Claude's death as a deal to the Colombian Cartel, in an attempt to create peace between the organizations. As a result, Claude assassinates Salvatore as a final gesture to the Leone family, which strengthens his own ties with the Liberty City Yakuza.

In GTA III and GTA:LCS, Leone members don black suits with black/red ties, some with sunglasses and gloves, and they carry pistols and shotguns. In GTA:SA the mobsters (some of whom are presumed to be the Leone family) dress in either brown leather jackets with gray pants, light blue shirts with chains, or in black jogging suits. In Liberty City, the Leone family controls the area in and around Marco's Bistro.

Forelli Family
Appearances: GTA III, GTA:VC, GTA:SA, GTA:LCS, GTA:VCS

Leader: Sonny Forelli (GTA:VC era); Mike 'Lips' Forelli (GTA III era)

The Forelli family is an Italian-American Mafia family based in Liberty City. The Don of the Forelli family in 1986 is Sonny Forelli, who would be killed by Tommy Vercetti, a renegade Forelli family member in Vice City. They had planned to expand their empire "down south" by opening relations with local drug cartels through Tommy Vercetti, but that never happened due to Sonny's death and Tommy's defection. The main base of operations for this once powerful organization was Marco's Bistro before Sonny's death. The Forelli family used to be the most powerful family in Liberty City, but the deaths of several high-ranking members have led to their subsequent downfall over time.

In San Andreas, it was agreed that the Forelli family would own an equal share of Caligula's Casino, along with the Sindacco and Leone families in 1992. However, their part in the deal would quickly end as Salvatore Leone (the Don of the Leone family) ordered Carl Johnson to gun down a high-ranking member of the Forelli family at Marco's Bistro (having already destroyed the Sindacco family's influence in Las Venturas), so the Leone family could fully control the Casino.

In Liberty City Stories, Salvatore Leone mentions Franco Forelli as the Don of the Forelli family at the time, likely taking control after Sonny Forelli's death in 1986. Liberty City Stories also reveals a Little Italy district in Fort Staunton that served as the main base of the Forelli family's operations after Sonny's death. They got into a gang war with the Sindacco family after the latter fled Portland - a gang war that the Leone family were only too happy to prolong, weakening both sides. The entire district was destroyed by Toni Cipriani on orders from Donald Love, using plans stolen from Avery Carrington, effectively taking all their assets and power with it. What was once Little Italy would become the construction site disputed by the Colombian Cartel and Liberty City Yakuza by GTA III.

By GTA III, the Forelli family seems to have been weakened considerably, with the killing of several more Forelli members (including Mike "Lips" Forelli) by Claude on Joey Leone's orders. It is assumed that the Forelli family has been reduced to servitude under the Leone family and their organization on the whole is now considered a brotherhood. At this point in time, the Forelli family's territory is assumed to consist solely of Marco's Bistro. However, that might also be under majority control of the Leone family, as a Leone Sentinel was seen parked there in Liberty City Stories. It is possible that, by the end of GTA III, the Forellis would cease to exist. The Forelli family has also been called the Forelli Brothers.

In GTA:LCS, Forelli members don blue/dark red shirts with light blue/white jackets over and carry pistols. In GTA:SA the mobsters (some of whom are presumed to be the Forelli family) dress in either brown leather jackets with gray pants, light blue shirts with chains, or in black jogging suits. In GTA III, they dressed like the Leone family, as seen in one of Joey Leone's missions, as they were in disguise. In GTA:VC they wear white or red Hawaiian shirts with tan or brown pants. Their weapons are pistols, Tec 9, M4, shotgun, and Kruger assault rifle for high-ranking members.

Sindacco Family
Appearances: GTA:SA, GTA:LCS

Leader: Johnny Sindacco (GTA:SA era); Paulie Sindacco (GTA:LCS era)

The Sindacco family is an Italian-American Mafia family based in Las Venturas and, formerly, Liberty City, where they originated. The Sindacco family also had a stake in Caligula's Casino, alongside the Forelli and Leone families. The Sindacco family wanted to do business with the Leone and Forelli families and possibly unite the three organizations, and this involved Don Salvatore Leone reluctantly pledging 5 million dollars to the Sindacco family. The three outfits argued over who should run the casino, and so Ken Rosenberg (once working with the Forelli family, but then abandoned by the very powerful Vercetti Gang) was put forward as a neutral party. Ken was in the middle of the Three Families, so if one attacked the other, Ken would most likely be the target of revenge.

The Sindacco family was formerly represented by Johnny Sindacco, the underboss of the Sindacco family, who would die from shock-induced heart failure in GTA: SA after meeting Carl Johnson for a second time. Johnny had previously been captured by the Mountain Cloud Boys Triad, tied onto a car driven by Carl, and scared into revealing information. The experience had put him into a coma, suffering a period of psychological and physical trauma. The Introduction prequel also indicates Johnny is in fact the son of the Sindacco's Don, most likely Paulie Sindacco, as he mentioned that his father wanted to unite their organization with the Leone family. It is suspected that, after the Leone family abandons Caligula's Casino and returns to Liberty City, the Sindaccos move in and re-take the casino. However, there is no proof of this.

By the end of 1998, Don Paulie Sindacco decided to expand further throughout Liberty City, moving into Leone family territory in Chinatown, dealing drugs. In Liberty City Stories, on orders from Salvatore Leone, Toni Cipriani used J.D. O'Toole, who was running Paulie's Revue Bar in Liberty City's Red Light District for the Sindacco family, as an inside-man to help weaken the Sindacco family and claim the Red Light District and Paulie's Revue Bar (renamed Sex Club 7) as Leone territory. Later on, Toni Cipriani would kill Paulie Sindacco, the Don of the Sindacco family, in 1998.

After their defeat by the Leone family in the First Gang War of 1998, the Sindacco family left Portland for Staunton Island, moving into Forelli family territory. This resulted in the Second Gang War of 1998, this time between the Sindacco and the Forelli families. Don Franco Forelli and Don Paulie Sindacco attempted to establish a truce between the Forelli and Sindacco families, possibly to defeat the Leone family together. Before a truce could be created, however, Toni Cipriani uses a remote control device to assume control of Paulie Sindacco's car and run over dozens of Forelli family members with it. This fueled the Sindacco family war with the Forelli family, which doesn't end until the assassination of Paulie Sindacco in Shoreside Vale later that same year and the (likely) death of Franco Forelli in the Little Italy explosion, all caused by Leone family Caporegime Toni Cipriani. The Sindacco family also owned territory in Torrington, including The Big Shot Casino, until the Yakuza decided to expand their influence in Liberty City by taking over Torrington, and in the process The Big Shot Casino as well, which they renamed as Kenji's Casino.

With no turf or front companies whatsoever remaining in Liberty City, the Sindacco family have very little influence (if any at all) remaining in Liberty City by GTA III. The family's fate remains unknown, as their activity outside Liberty City after Paulie's death is never disclosed.

In GTA:LCS, Sindacco members wear black shirts, black pants and brown jackets (leather or not) with/without sunglasses and carry pistols. In GTA:SA, the mobsters (some of whom are presumed to be the Sindacco family) dress in either brown leather jackets with gray pants, light blue shirts with chains, or in black jogging suits.

Sicilian Mafia
Appearances: GTA:LCS

In 1998, under the leadership of Salvatore Leone's elderly uncle, the Sicilian Mafia spark several wars between rival families in Liberty City in the hope of controlling the city once the existing families destroy each other.

Their plan is foiled, however, when Leone family Don Salvatore Leone and his Caporegime, Toni Cipriani, are able to hold their own against all of the other criminal organizations in the city. To retaliate, the Sicilians attempt to intimidate the mayor into convicting Leone on racketeering charges. This strategy is never fully executed due to the fact that Cipriani, under orders from Salvatore, kills Massimo Torini, the Caporegime of the Sicilian Mafia. After this, Uncle Leone acknowledges defeat and the Sicilian Mafia leaves Liberty City. When his nephew begins to insult him after their final confrontation, he simply replies, "Every dog has his day". Three years later, Salvatore Leone is, in fact, killed by Claude, a man whom he betrays.

Southside Hoods
Appearances: GTA III, GTA:LCS, GTA A(Advance)

Leader: D-Ice (Red Jacks)

The Southside Hoods are a prominent African-American gang in Shoreside Vale, Liberty City, who come to acquire their turf in Wichita Gardens while helping Toni Cipriani clear the Forelli family out of Wichita Gardens as payback for their part in having Salvatore Leone arrested. They are the Red Jacks and Purple Nines, both rival gangs. In GTA III, the latter is known to supply the SPANK drug on local streets. Their activities consist of drug dealing, prostitution, and street fighting.

The Red Jacks are a small-time street gang headed by D-Ice. Most of their missions in GTA III involve crippling Purple Nines activities. Eventually, the Purple Nines are destroyed, with their remaining members defeated in a mêlée battle.

The GTA III rendition of Southside Hoods members wear jackets of either red or purple, depending on which side they belong to, but are not seen attacking each other on the streets. Stranger yet, when a Red Jack is attacked, any nearby Purple Nines will rush to assist the gang member who is being assaulted; the same holds true in reverse. This is also suggested when D-Ice warned that Red Jacks would believe that they will also be shot at when they witness Purple Nines being killed by the player. In GTA:LCS, the Red Jacks and Purple Nines are apparently united, portrayed wearing brown jackets, over red hoodies with their hoods up (depicting a Red Jack) or purple shirts (depicting a Purple Nine), pants and boots.

Grove Street Families
Appearances: GTA:SA

Leader: Sean 'Sweet' Johnson

The Grove Street Families (also known as "Grove Street Alliance", "Grove Street", "Grove", "Families" or "GSF" for short) are a street gang in Los Santos, San Andreas, the native gang of Carl "CJ" Johnson. As far as street gangs in San Andreas go, the GSF are depicted as more honorable than their rival gangs, as they are against hard drugs being sold on their turf, despite the numerous other crimes and violent acts they take part in. The Grove Street Families are headed by Sean "Sweet" Johnson, and his previous lieutenants were Lance "Ryder" Wilson and Melvin "Big Smoke" Harris. Sweet is adamantly anti-narcotic, but Smoke believes the GSF have fallen from power because of Sweet's refusal to have the gang sell drugs. Their unwillingness to enter the drug trade has dragged the Grove Street Families out of prominence in the years leading up to the game's storyline. This, coupled with the deaths or betrayal of OGs such as Brian, Big Devil, Little Devil, B-Dup, and Big Bear has led to the sorry state of the GSF upon CJ's return from Liberty City.

There are at least two other distinct sets of the Families: the Temple Drive Families and the Seville Boulevard Families. Both sets were originally one with the Grove Street Families, but split up from the GSF during the five years of Carl's absence. Earlier in the game, they are not on good terms with each other, which is why the gang has weakened. Carl will occasionally make reference to Orange Grove Families; gang graffiti tags with the initials "OGF" also exist in the game. This was the gang's original name, though Rockstar changed the name before the release of San Andreas. Some references to this remain in the game, including graffiti that can be seen around Los Santos, tattoos that CJ can get with the name Orange Grove Families based on the OG Crips, and phrases that CJ will shout out while fighting other people.

The rivalry between the sets mainly has to do with Grove Street's opposition to drug dealing, but later in the game, the Families are united into one gang. Grove Street member Carl Johnson is involved in a brief conflict with the Seville Boulevard Families, who try to pin Sweet while he was visiting his girlfriend in Seville. Following this incident, Carl and Sweet Johnson call for an end to "green on green" conflicts. The meeting to reunite the Families is interrupted by a SWAT raid on the hotel where the meeting is being held, causing the death of several Grove Street members. The families are seen working together to defend each other several times during this mission, indicating that they had joined forces before the raid happened.

While Carl's return helps revive the GSF to an extent, Ryder and Smoke's betrayal of the gang, coupled with an ambush on Sweet and other high-ranking members by the rival Ballas gang and the police, destroys much of the gang's influence in the city. Consequently, the Ballas and Los Santos Vagos seize all of GSF's turf in Los Santos. Sweet is imprisoned, and Carl is forced to continue working for CRASH, a corrupt group of police officers. However, Sweet's release from prison, courtesy of Mike Toreno, allows the gang to rise again (now co-headed by Carl and Sweet Johnson) and regain most of their lost turf from the Ballas and Vagos. Depending on the player's actions, it is possible to take some or all of the Ballas' and Vagos' turf for the GSF.

GSF members commonly wear either a green basket-ball jersey, a green plaid shirt, or a green hoody, but during two cut-scenes, gangsters wearing a black button-up over a light green shirt, one wearing a dark green button-up, and one wearing a light-green shirt, are seen with Sweet. Presumably, these are other high-ranking Lieutenants in the GSF, who are killed during Big Smoke, and Ryder's betrayal. On a mission in San Fierro, C.J. kills Ryder, and on the final mission C.J. kills Big Smoke, and save the Los Santos of Criminal. The Ballas and Vagos work for the Big Smoke.

Seville Boulevard Families
Appearances: GTA:SA

The Seville Boulevard Families, or SBF, are a sub-gang of the Grove Street Families based on Playa Del Seville's project. In a GTA: San Andreas mission, CarlCJJohnson saves his brother from the Seville Boulevard Families' members. After the mission Reuniting the families, SBF are now allied with GSF and TDF (another famillies gang).

Temple Drive Families
Appearances: GTA:SA

The Temple Drive Families are another Grove Street Families sub-gang, based on Temple Drive around the graveyard. Like SBF, after the mission Reuniting The Families, TDF will be allied with GSF, and they will help them to fight Ballas and Vagos. TDF are one of the smallest Families gangs in Los Santos.

Ballas
Appearances: GTA:SA

Leader: Kane; Melvin 'Big Smoke' Harris

The Ballas are the GSF's primary enemy, having been around since the 1970s. They are involved in drug dealing, gang banging, prostitution, arms dealing, vandalism, and degeneracy, but mainly, the cocaine trade. The Ballas are rivals with GSF and the Aztecas, and have ties with the Los Santos Vagos, the San Fierro Rifa, the Loco Syndicate for narcotics, and the Russian Mafia for weapons. The Ballas also collaborate with C.R.A.S.H. Unlike the GSF, the Ballas have no reservations about making money by selling drugs; the spread of crack cocaine into the Grove Street community is part of their strategy to wipe the GSF out. During a mission with the GSF leader, Sweet, C.J. kills the Ballas' leader, Kane, during a funeral, weakening the family, and presumably causing the mass-invasion on Grove Street during O.G Loc's party later in the game.

The Ballas briefly control the streets of Los Santos alongside the Vagos after Big Smoke and Ryder defect to them and Grove Street leader Sweet Johnson is gunned down and arrested. They control the influence of the Families by using crack cocaine to turn GSF members into hopeless addicts totally dependent on them. However, following the release of Sweet from prison and the return of Carl Johnson, the Grove Street Families dominate the Ballas. The Ballas' Crack Palace is heavily demolished by Officer Frank Tenpenny, resulting in significantly reduced influence by the Ballas in Los Santos. Added to their loss of influence, Ballas will run from CJ if other Ballas are killed quickly or if they are heavily outnumbered by GSF. The Ballas are seen with purple bandanas, black skullcaps, knee high socks and flip-flop sandals, khaki pants and white shirts or black sweat shirts.

There are four known sets of Ballas: The Front Yard Ballas, The Rollin' Heights Ballas, the Kilo Trays, and the Temple Drive Ballas. The Ballas are recognizable by their purple attire, purple being the identifying color of the gang.

Rollin' Heights Ballas
Appearances: GTA:SA

The Rollin' Heights Ballas are a gang that comes from GSF's rivals the Ballas. They claim Rollin' Heights as their turf and are a small part of the gang's drug trade. They also are in Big Smoke's crack palace when it blows up which ends up killing most of them before CJ wipes the rest out after the death (or before) of Officer Frank Tenpenny.

Kilo Tray Ballas
Another sub group of the Balla gang,this gang takes a major part in the Balla drug trade. They sell majority of the drugs to the Grove Street Families. They are believed to be the biggest sub group of the Ballas gang and are also well known by the LSPD for their drug activity. They are killed by CJ and the Varios Los Aztecas shortly after the game's completion.

Trailer Park Mafia
Appearances: GTA:VCS

Leader: Marty Jay Williams

The "Trailer Park Mafia" is the name given to the former redneck gang in GTA:VCS based in a trailer park surrounding the Sunshine Autos Car Showroom, circa 1984. Their influence spans to Vice City's poorer communities, bringing further suffering to this bracket of the city's population. Their leader, Marty Jay Williams, is murdered by Victor Vance in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories after being prevented from kidnapping his own wife, Louise. Victor and his brother Lance then acquires the Mafia's businesses and the gang is disbanded.

In Vice City Stories, Trailer Park Mafia members are depicted wearing either shirts donning the Confederate flag and baseball caps or tank tops, sunglasses, and jeans.

Vice City Biker Gang
Appearances: GTA:VC, GTA:VCS

Leader: Mitch Baker

"The biggest family of misfits, outcasts and badasses," as quoted by their leader, Big Mitch Baker. A group of stereotypical bikers, they wear leather, give off a gruff, tough persona, have long beards and hair, wear biker attire and ride chopper style motorcycles. Circa 1986, they are the only gang, along with the Cuban Gang, with which Tommy Vercetti opens relations without forcibly taking it over. In Vice City Stories the Biker Gang are revealed to be a large gang owning several businesses across Vice City. It is assumed that due to Victor Vance's takeovers that the once large gang is reduced to only the Greasy Chopper Bar Downtown by GTA: Vice City. Victor Vance also stumbles into a homosexual, racist subsect of the gang, the White Stallionz. The Stallionz are not to be confused as the whole Biker Gang itself, for they only own a portion of the territories the Biker Gang owns. The entire Gang is also wiped out by Victor Vance.

Liberty City Biker Gang
Appearances: GTA:LCS

Leader: Cedric "Wayne" Fotheringay

The Biker Gang in Liberty City, led by Cedric "Wayne" Fotheringay, is a biker gang primarily involved in drugs and street racing. The gang is mainly featured in the Liberty City Stories installment, mostly in missions centering around Maria. Wayne, the leader, sells drugs to Maria Latore, and is also romantically involved with her; Toni Cipriani discovers the gang whilst assisting Maria, who puts herself up as first prize in a street race between gang members and Toni. Toni later kills Wayne, and meets the gang once more when Maria overdoses on drugs, believing the cure is at Rusty Brown Ring Donuts, an old haunt of Wayne's. Their only known turf is a bar in Chinatown. They are believed to be on bad terms with the Avenging Angels vigilante group since they are known to cause trouble around Liberty City, circa 1998. Toni is required to kill many groups of Bikers during Avenging Angel missions.

The gang ends and soon disappears,and most likely must have left Liberty City in either 2000 or in 2001 because of the ban on motorcycles.On the time of "GTA Advance" it was declared to put a stop on motorcycles, Resulting the end of the gang

By the time of GTA III, It was officially declared that there would be no motorcycles,so the Liberty City Biker Gang cease to exist.

Colombian Cartel
Appearances: GTA III, GTA Advance, GTA:LCS

Leader: Cisco (GTA A era); Miguel; Catalina (GTA III era)

The Colombian Cartel (aka the "Cartel" in Grand Theft Auto Advance) is a shady South American syndicate and the main group of antagonists in GTA III. They are exceptionally well armed, and are led by Catalina and Miguel to produce and supply the drug SPANK in Liberty City. It is suggested by Liberty City police records that the Colombian Cartel may be using local airport and harbor freight as a front to smuggle the SPANK drug into Liberty City, although they have yet to thoroughly prove this. After Claude's feud with the Liberty City Triads ceases, he faces the Colombian Cartel as a new and worse enemy for the rest of the game.

While listening to the DJ on Rise FM in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories he mentions having tried a new drug on the street called "SPANK". This means that SPANK is at least in production in 1998. Miguel leads the cartel during this period as well; Catalina does not join the organization until 2001, when she shoots her boyfriend Claude and takes off with money the pair had just robbed from a bank. There are hints during various cutscenes in GTA III that she and Miguel are lovers and she has used the money from the robbery to heighten her standing in the Cartel.

Miguel is later linked to the assassination of Yakuza leader Kenji Kasen, although he actually has nothing to do with it (real estate mogul Donald Love ordered Claude to make it look like the Cartel's doing to spark a gang war and drive real estate prices down ). He is later tied up in the incomplete skyscraper in Fort Staunton by Kenji's sister Asuka and tortured non-stop for days on end until he is killed by the Cartel when they kidnap Maria and kill Asuka. Catalina assumes command of the Cartel herself. After killing Asuka and trying to escape in a helicopter, her vehicle is shot down by Claude as revenge for shooting him in the opening.

It is apparent that the Cartel is linked to Panlantic Construction, a company serving as both a legitimate construction company and a front for illegal operations. In Liberty City Stories, Cartel members are hired by Panlantic as bodyguards for Avery Carrington, who works for Panlantic and arrives in Liberty City to acquire real estate for development. After Avery is killed by Toni Cipriani, Donald Love takes over negotiations with Panlantic to seal the deal on developing Fort Staunton, which is later destroyed by bombs planted by Cipriani. In GTA III, the construction site in Fort Staunton serves as turf for the Cartel before it's seized by the Yakuza.

In Grand Theft Auto Advance, the gang is initially allied to Advance protagonist Mike, but later turn against him after suspecting Mike of killing then Cartel leader Cisco (which is revealed to actually be the work of Vinnie ). He was succeeded by an un-named lieutenant. In Advance, Cisco centers his gang operations at Francis International, Liberty City's airport.

Cartel members wear Hawaiian shirts, combat pants, hats resembling Akubras and boots in GTA III. In GTA:LCS, the same members wear red or blue shirts with brown vests, pairs of pants and jewellery.

Diablos
Appearances: GTA III, GTA:LCS

Leader: El Burro

The Diablos are an Hispanic street gang. The leader of the Diablos is El Burro (who has been under observation by police since 1997, as mentioned in GTA III's official website). The only activities known to be associated with the Diablos are prostitution, street violence and pornography, although they had also been known to engage in gun battles with the Liberty City Triads. The Diablos maintain control of Hepburn Heights in Liberty City.

The Diablos play an important role in Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories being one of the gangs used by the Sicilian Mafia to attack interests of the Leone family. They are first seen when Toni Cipriani is enlisted to follow Massimo Torini, then a member of the Leone family after Salvatore Leone suspected somebody was betraying him. Massimo meets with a group of Diablos at Hepburn Heights and tells them that if they worked with his associates (later revealed to be the Sicilian Mafia) Hepburn Heights would belong to them. The Diablos then attacked the Leone family goons in a large scale battle that takes place in Hepburn Heights, where the Leones are overwhelmed by a large quantity of Diablos armed with MAC-10 sub machine guns. Following the fight the Diablos seize control of Hepburn Heights.

In Grand Theft Auto III they are involved in gang wars with the Liberty City Triads. They also appear to be having spats with the Yardies for dissing Queen Lizzy, and with the Yakuza for trying to steal some protection money, both times ending up in the slaughter of a large number of Diablo gang members. Also, around Hepburn Heights and South St Marks, there are lots of spats between themselves and the Leone Family Mafia. On these occasions, the Leone Family often win as they have pistols as weapons, whereas the Diablos often just have their fists and baseball bats.

In Grand Theft Auto III, Diablo members are seen wearing dark blue jackets donning the Diablos gang logo (a yellow crown) at the back, long pants and bandanas. In Grand Theft Auto :Liberty City Stories, Diablos members don fishnets or red bandanas on their heads, red shirts or jackets, and black or brown pants.

Diaz's gang
Appearances: GTA:VC, GTA:VCS

Leader: Ricardo Diaz

Diaz's gang, headed by drug baron Ricardo Diaz, is a Vice City-based Colombian cartel that enjoys immense power during the mid-1980s. Diaz's men wear pink or purple Hawaiian shirts, long pants, and sunglasses.

Prior to Tommy Vercetti's takeover of Vice City's underworld in 1986, Diaz's gang is by far the city's most powerful drug cartel, with Ricardo's aggressive fervor for dominating the narcotics smuggling business a defining factor in its success. He is known to request the theft of the fastest speed boat in the city for smuggling activities, and to kill all those who attempt to cut into his profits, even for stealing just a small percentage. In addition, Diaz's gang is also responsible for the ambush of Tommy Vercetti's initial drug deal with the Vance Crime Family, a botched exchange that not only forces Tommy to leave behind (and lose) both the money and narcotics as he flees the scene, but also results in the death of Vic Vance.

Later, Tommy Vercetti is given the opportunity to work for Ricardo, while Lance Vance infiltrates the gang under the name "Quentin". As Tommy is carefully concocting a plan to seize control of Ricardo's empire, Lance attempts his own overthrow prematurely, resulting not only in his failure to kill Ricardo, but his capture and torture by Diaz's gang as well. Tommy rushes to his impetuous associate's rescue, blowing his cover in the process. This forces the two to take preemptive measures before Ricardo has them both killed: the pair invade the grounds of the Diaz Mansion, killing dozens of Ricardo's men while making their way to his office, where they ruthlessly slaughter him.

The murder of its chief heralds the rapid demise of Diaz's gang, as Ricardo's mansion and all of his assets are immediately seized by the Vercetti Gang. Ricardo's organization is assumed to completely disband, due to the sudden conspicuous absence of Diaz gang members in Vice City.There weapons are pistols,UZI,and Kruger assault rifle.

Los Cabrones
Appearances: GTA:VC, GTA:VCS

Leader: Umberto Robina

The "Cuban Gang" (as named in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City), also known as Los Cabrones (as named in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories), is a Cuban-American gang led by Umberto Robina.

In Vice City, circa 1986, the Cuban Gang is the perpetual enemy of the Haitian Gang. Tommy Vercetti fights in the gang war between these two groups for both sides, but because the Haitian Gang tricks Vercetti into working with them, he completely destroys them and allies himself with the Cuban Gang, an alliance that lasts throughout the game. Umberto and Alberto Robina are also personally on good terms with Tommy himself, and regard him as Cuban. The Cuban Gang is also involved in the cocaine trade. In Vice City Stories, the gang, two years prior, is dubbed "Los Cabrones" and is the sworn enemy of the Cholos, another Hispanic gang based nearby. A war erupts between Los Cabrones and the Cholos for control of Little Havana, which sees the former emerging as the victor.

In their appearance in Vice City, the Cuban Gang/Los Cabrones members are seen wearing white sleeveless shirts, red bandanas and jeans, or a fedora hat, light yellow shirts and black pants.

Mendez Cartel
Appearances: GTA:VCS

''Leader: Armando Mendez; Diego Mendez

The Mendez Cartel is a very powerful and ruthless drug cartel operating out of Vice City since the late '70s. They arrive in Vice City around the same time as Victor Vance and supply drugs to numerous high ranking officers at Fort Baxter. The Mendez Cartel also own the mansion on Prawn Island that has been taken over by the Streetwannabes/Sharks between 1984 and 1986. After Victor Vance kills Armando and then Diego Mendez, the Cartel is officially disbanded. In 1986, the former Mendez estate is graffiti covered, and merely houses the Streetwannabes gang, until Tommy Vercetti wipes them out under the employ of Riccardo Diaz. In Vice City Stories, Mendez Cartel members are depicted as wearing suits, with light colored shirts underneath, as well as having a notable moustache or ponytail.

Cortez Crew
Appearances: GTA VC

Leader: Juan Garcia Cortez

The Cortez Crew are a group of men dressed up as sailors who are led by Colonel Juan Garcia Cortez. Cortez is working for Ricardo Diaz and Cortez ends up discovering Diaz was behind Vercetti's botched drug deal. Vercetti soon ends up helping Cortez and his men escape from Vice City on Cortez's personal yacht. This is after Cortez sent Vercetti to kill French spy Pierre La Ponce, which caught the attention from the French Secret Service.

Gonzalez's Crew
Appearances: GTA VCS

Leader: Gonzalez

Gonzalez's Crew are led by Gonzalez and are involved in Drug Running, Reni Wassulmaier introduces Vic Vance to Gonzalez and Vic then flies Gonzalez's helicopter to protect his boat, then Gonzalez invites Vic to a game of golf and later invites Vic to his hotel to task Vic with a drug deal. Ricardo Diaz later sends Victor and Lance Vance to steal some drugs of Gonzalez and bring it to his mansion. Gonzalez later sends his men to ambush the Diaz Cartel's Deal with the DEA, but thanks to Vic Vance, Gonzalez's Crew were unsuccessful. They Also make a very minor appearance in GTA VC when Tommy tries to kill Gonzalez: his Body guards(Gonzalez crew) attack Tommy but Vercetti succeeds resulting Gonzalez's death.

Costa Rican Gang
Appearances: GTA VC

The Costa Rican Gang is a group of drug smugglers that are attempting to move in on the Diaz Cartel's patch. Their leader is about to get the fastest boat in the city. Allowing them to get to deals faster than Ricardo Diaz's Men. Ricardo Diaz then sends Tommy Vercetti to steal the fastest boat before the Costa Ricans can be able to use it. The Fastest Boat is being held at the Vice City Boatyard, heavily armed with the Costa Rican Gangsters. Vercetti has to fight his way through to get the boat.

Cholos
''Appearances: GTA:VCS

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the Cholos are the dominant Mexican gang in the Little Havana and Little Haiti districts of Vice City. They are involved in conflicts on various fronts - Phil Cassidy is fighting them for gun running dominance, while Marty Jay Williams and his Trailer Park Mafia are fighting them for dominance of nearly every other criminal activity. Their control over Little Havana begins to be threatened in 1984, when Los Cabrones begin to move into Little Havana, sparking a deadly turf war for complete control of the neighborhood. The war comes to a head when the Cholos attempt (and fail) to kill Alberto Robina, the father of the leader of Los Cabrones. After the attack, Umberto decides to launch an all out attack on the Cholos, which results in the Cholos' base of operations being destroyed, which leads to their disappearance from Little Havana.

Los Santos Vagos
Appearances: GTA:SA Los Santos Vagos is a Mexican gang found to be in league with the Ballas.

Los Santos Vagos, like the Ballas, pose a threat to Carl "CJ" Johnson, and provide an opportunity to engage in gang wars. The Vagos and the Grove Street Families have experienced an intense rivalry, but the Vagos' arch-enemies are their Latino counterparts, the Varrios Los Aztecas. After Carl and Cesar Vialpando (the leader of the Aztecas) were exiled from Los Santos, the Vagos took over all of the Aztecas' territory, until the return of the Grove Street Families allowed Carl and Cesar to regain the territory. The Los Santos Vagos were once known to be rivals of the San Fierro Rifa, but have come into good terms with them due to cooperative drug trafficking between them.

Heavily involved in the drug trade, they have a major involvement in Big Smoke's short-lived, but powerful crack empire. The Vagos' drug leader, Big Poppa, even took control of the mansion of rapper Madd Dogg when the latter was unable to pay off his debt (however, Carl and the San Fierro Triads eventually launched an offensive on the mansion, seizing it back, with Carl personally killing Big Poppa).There are two distinct clicks of the Vagos:Northside Vagos & Eastside Vagos.

The Vagos are seen wearing yellow bandanas, dressed in white tank tops with tattoos & Khaki pants. When shirtless, they are heavily tattooed.

Varrios Los Aztecas
Appearances: GTA:SA

Leader: Cesar Vialpando

based on the Sureños

Significantly less prominent than the Vagos, the Varrios Los Aztecas are a Latino gang led by Cesar Vialpando. They have formed an alliance with the Grove Street Families due to Cesar dating and intending to marry Kendl Johnson, sister of Cesar's close friend, Carl Johnson, and due to the gangs possessing common enemies. Nevertheless, Varrios will still challenge Carl Johnson if they see him on the streets, calling out insults against the Grove Street Families gang and attacking with fists or weapons. They will attack other GSF members on sight, and vice versa. The Varrios are rivals with the Vagos and the San Fierro Rifa, and are also believed to be on bad terms with the Ballas.

The Varrios are traditionally anti-narcotics, with heavy involvement in gun running and street violence, and they only have a few territories compared to other gangs, and these are clustered around the southwestern areas of Eastern Los Santos.

Varrios Los Aztecas members are mostly seen wearing turquoise bandanas and sunglasses, dressed in 'cholo' style clothing and can be seen driving lowriders and at the lowrider challenge.

San Fierro Rifa
Appearances: GTA:SA

Leader: T-Bone Mendez

San Fierro Rifa is the sole Hispanic gang based in San Fierro, later seen to be collaborating with the Ballas and Vagos in the narcotics business. The Rifa also appear to work as thugs for the Loco Syndicate, possibly because Rifa leader T-Bone Mendez is a co-leader of the Loco Syndicate. The Rifa also had a dislike towards Latino gangs in Los Santos, until they joined the narcotics business linked to the Los Santos Vagos. They appear to be rather neutral with the local Chinese Triads and the Vietnamese Da Nang Boys.

Although the Rifa are known for various clashes with Grove Street Families member Carl Johnson, they are normally not hostile towards the Families. They are the least threatening and violent on the streets, but some armed Rifas may attack CJ on sight; when the player attacks them, they usually run. Rifa members are mostly recognizable with their light blue bandanas or white hats.

Despite the death of their leader, T-Bone Mendez, the gang remains in existence in their turf throughout San Fierro, although following the destruction of their crack lab and the closure of the Loco Syndicate, it is unclear whether or not they are involved in the drug trade any further.

Uptown Yardies
Appearances: GTA III, GTA A(Advance), GTA:LCS

Leader: King Courtney

The Yardies are a Jamaican gang, led by King Courtney. They are secretly in league with the Colombian Cartel and are known to push SPANK onto Staunton Island. The Yardies and the Diablos are fighting against each other, due to derogatory comments made by the Diablos about Queen Lizzy. Yardie members are seen with dreadlocks and wear ex-army attire in GTA III, while renditions in GTA: LCS depict them in brightly colored tank tops, with or without a yellow T-shirt worn inside, jeans and brown boots.

In GTA: LCS it is revealed that Toni Cipriani helps the Yardies take over their turf in Newport from the Forelli family as a way to help corrupt cop Leon McAffrey repay an unknown favor to the Yardies that they did for him.

Haitian Gang
Appearances: GTA:VC

Leader: Auntie Poulet

The Cuban Gang's main rivals for control of the poorer neighborhoods of Little Haiti and Little Havana is the Haitian Gang, led by Auntie Poulet. Auntie Poulet gives Tommy Vercetti mind-altering drugs to make him use less-than-honest tactics in their war against the Cuban Gang. Vercetti, angered by this and spurred by his friendship with the Cuban Gang, decides to help the Cuban Gang and its leader Umberto Robina destroy the Haitian’s large drug manufacturing plant (killing many more members in the process), thereby severing all ties with Poulet and her gang. The Haitian gang colors are purple and blue.

Haitian Gang members are seen wearing either purple shirts (reading RELAX), white pants and baseball caps, or sky blue sleeveless shirts (with a purple dragon on them), jeans and bandanas.

This gang attracted attention from some Haitian-Americans as many, including two community groups, believed it portrayed Haitians negatively.

Vercetti Gang
Appearances: GTA:VC

Leader: Tommy Vercetti

The Vercetti Gang is a very powerful underworld outfit based in Vice City. It is led by Tommy Vercetti, a renegade Forelli family member who has assumed control of numerous businesses and property ventures in Vice City, circa 1986. The organization is known to be involved in various illegal enterprises, including extortion, drug dealing, counterfeiting, protection racketeering and prostitution.

Tommy Vercetti is originally dispatched by the Forelli family to Vice City to oversee a drug deal funded by Forelli money; the deal was supposed to be the beginning of the family's expansion "down south". However, after the deal is ambushed by Diaz's gang members, Tommy is forced to start over in a new town with no money or property, and aided only by Ken Rosenberg, a bent lawyer with Forelli family connections. He eventually kills the perpetrator of the drug deal ambush, Ricardo Diaz, aided by new associate, Lance Vance. Following the killing, he personally seizes several properties and business assets in the city, with no assistance from the Forelli family, forming the powerful Vercetti Gang in the process. The expansion of the Vercetti Gang throughout Vice City makes Tommy a very rich, powerful, and influential man, infuriating Sonny Forelli, the Don of the Forelli family, who demands his cut of the substantial profits. Tommy's refusal to give in prompts Sonny to send collectors to Vice City to attempt to cut into Tommy's businesses. However, Sonny's plans are immediately thwarted by Tommy's massacre of the Forelli family's collectors, precipitating a personal confrontation between Sonny and Tommy in the huge Vercetti Estate. Tommy attempts to pay Sonny with counterfeit money, but Lance reveals his scheme, resulting in a massive gunfight that leads to the deaths of Lance and many Forelli family members, including Sonny himself.

The Vercetti Gang is presumed to remain in power for an undisclosed time, until at least 1992. In the prequel film to San Andreas, The Introduction, Ken Rosenberg, who is also initiated into the Vercetti Gang in 1986, is assumed to have been abandoned by Tommy after Ken is forced into rehabilitation for prolonged cocaine abuse. Following his release, Vercetti no longer takes his calls and their relationship is dissolved. This leads to Ken's subsequent assignment as a middleman for the Leone, Forelli and Sindacco families over Caligula's Casino in Las Venturas, and his later employment as an accountant to rapper Madd Dogg.

Members of the Vercetti Gang wear blue or Hawaiian shirts, long pants and sunglasses. The term "Vercetti Gang" is used only once in the game, despite Tommy's protests, by Delores, the Kaufman Cabs dispatcher. The Gang's turf is anywhere where Tommy Vercetti has bought assets, and their business is counterfeiting cash, distributing drugs, illegal street racing, but have some legal businesses such as Kaufman Cabs taxi company and the boatyard.


 * The Vercetti gang is organized similar to an Italian-American mafia family. Practicing illegal actives of protection, extortion, money laundering and is heavily involved in drug trafficking.  The Vercetti gang can also be described as a drug cartel involved in trafficking large amounts of cocaine.

Vance Crime Family
Appearances: GTA:VC, GTA:VCS

Leader: Victor Vance

At the beginning of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and throughout Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, the Vance Crime Family is made up of two leaders Victor and Lance Vance, of which Victor is the main leader. Victor turns to dealing in narcotics and prostitution for his commanding rank in the vance family order to earn enough money to pay the medical costs of his ill brother, Pete Vance. These actions lead to his discharge from the United States Army, and his subsequent association with known members of the Vice City underworld. It is at this point that the Vance Crime Family is known to have been formed and to have seized control of many businesses and assets from other prominent gangs in Vice City, eventually becoming a large-scale operation with individual businesses protected by armed security hired by Victor. However, for two years after the events of Vice City Stories, in which Victor and Lance agree to leave Vice City and temporarily "live off" the money they had made, the whereabouts of the Vance Crime Family remain a mystery until 1986, when we learn the fates of Victor and Lance. Victor is killed by members of Diaz's gang during the ambushed narcotics exchange that sets in motion the events portrayed in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. By this time, Vice City is under the complete control of the Vercetti Gang. Lance Vance is killed by the gang's leader, Tommy Vercetti, for having betrayed him.