A new Latin gang, known as ‘Los 300’, has established operations in Barcelona’s Sant Martí and Sant Andreu districts, engaging in drug trafficking and violent confrontations with rival groups. Police forces are now closely monitoring the group, which has already been involved in serious incidents across the city.
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Members of ‘Los 300’ typically wear black and white clothing and use specific hand signals for communication. The gang, primarily of South American origin, openly carries and displays bladed weapons in public. Metrópoli Abierta reported that ‘Los 300’ are in conflict with ‘Los Trinitarios’, a Dominican gang considered highly dangerous in the Catalan capital.
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The severity of the situation prompted specific training for various units of the Barcelona Urban Guard (Guardia Urbana). This training aims to help officers understand the symbolism and movements of these gangs, particularly ‘Los 300’. Officers from the Mossos d’Esquadra’s Public Order Response Area (ARRO) are also on high alert. This is due to the gang’s violent attacks, which involve bladed weapons and firearms, occurring in public spaces across Barcelona and its surrounding areas.
New Gang’s Operations and Alliances
Police sources revealed that ‘Los 300’ have formed a temporary alliance with ‘Barrio 18’, a gang predominantly of Honduran origin. This strategic union aims to challenge ‘Los Trinitarios’, who police sources describe as having a more professionalised structure. ‘Los Trinitarios’ reportedly use front companies to launder money from drug trafficking operations.
While ‘Los Trinitarios’ operate with a robust economic system, ‘Los 300’ and their allies focus on physical control of public squares. They employ intimidation tactics through fights and weapon displays. The police have identified the park on Calle Menorca, 64, in Sant Martí, as a central hub for ‘Los 300’ activities. Sant Martí is a populous district, home to over 240,000 residents, and this green space serves as their regular meeting point and has been the scene of several incidents, including a particularly severe one on 7 March.
The emergence of such groups significantly impacts local communities. Residents in Sant Martí and Sant Andreu, districts with a combined population exceeding 350,000, face increased concerns over public safety. The presence of gangs involved in drug trafficking and violent clashes disrupts daily life and poses a threat to both residents and visitors.
Identifying Gang Members and Territories
Investigators clearly identify ‘Los 300’ members by their distinctive white and black colours. Unlike more established historical gangs, a 25-year-old Spanish man of Latin origin leads ‘Los 300’. District patrols have fully identified this leader, providing a key target for police intervention.
The park on Calle Menorca is not their sole meeting point, but they frequent the area. Officers received clear instructions to not only disperse groups but also to conduct detailed identifications. These identifications must record the symbolism and colours worn by individuals. The Urban Guard places particular emphasis on this visual identification during preventative searches.
Members of ‘Barrio 18’ wear blue, often seen with “Los Angeles” caps and Nike Cortez trainers. ‘Los Trinitarios’, in contrast, identify with the colour green and the motto “God, Homeland, and Liberty”. They are the most consolidated group and use the Parque de la Pegaso in La Sagrera, Sant Andreu, as their operational base. Sant Andreu, with its 150,000 residents, is a key area for gang activity.
Police Response and Recent Violence
The Urban Guard’s primary objective is to monitor every move of ‘Los 300’ to prevent their alliance with ‘Barrio 18’ from escalating violence in the districts. Police are not only working to prevent fights but also to disrupt the drug trafficking these groups control. They achieve this control through fear and the occupation of public spaces, directly affecting community well-being.
This past weekend saw young people of South American origin involved in several violent altercations. In Cornellà de Llobregat, a single aggressive group reportedly stabbed five individuals within an hour on Saturday morning. Hours later, that same night, an unnamed 28-year-old Dominican man died after a shooting in La Florida, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. These incidents highlight the broader regional impact of gang-related violence.
Authorities continue their efforts to contain the rise of these new criminal organisations. They aim to safeguard public safety and dismantle the networks fuelling gang-related violence and drug trade across Barcelona and its metropolitan area. This ongoing police action seeks to restore peace and security to affected neighbourhoods.
Originally published by Metrópoli Abierta – Urban Life. Read original article.
