Known Aliases: ALKQN, Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, LK, Kings, Reyes, Coronas, Latin Queens (female auxiliary), Bloodline (internal reference to membership lineage)
Origin: Humboldt Park / South Chicago, Illinois — circa 1954. Originally established as a community advocacy organization for Puerto Rican and Mexican-American youth by founders including Gino Gustavo Colon. Later evolved into a structured criminal enterprise under Augustin 'King Tone' Zambrano (New York chapter) and various Chicago leadership factions.
Active Regions: Primary AOR: Illinois (Chicago), New York (New York City — Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan), Connecticut (Bridgeport, Hartford, New Haven), New Jersey, Massachusetts (Boston, Lawrence, Springfield). Secondary AOR: Florida (South Florida), Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia. International operations confirmed in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Spain, and Italy. Estimated national membership: 20,000–35,000.
Known Alliances: People Nation, Vice Lords, Bloods
Known Rivalries: Gangster Disciples (GD) — primary Folk Nation rival. Maniac Latin Disciples (MLD) — intense territorial warfare in Chicago. Trinitarios — violent street-level competition in New York City. Sureños/Mexican Mafia-aligned sets — jurisdictional disputes in correctional settings. Spanish Gangster Disciples — neighborhood-level hostilities. Insane Deuces — long-standing Chicago rivalry.
Primary Identifiers: Colors: Black and gold (amber/metallic gold). Symbols: Five-pointed crown (corona), lion head, tear drop (in memorial contexts), ALKQN monogram, king's staff, and orb. Numeric codes: 360 (360 degrees of Latin King knowledge), 005 (represents 'E' – the 5th letter, for 'Español'), 5-pointed motifs. Tattoos: Five-pointed crown with embedded initials, lion on chest/back, 'Amor De Rey' (Love of the King), 'ADR' script, tear drops. Apparel: Pittsburgh Pirates (gold/black), LA Lakers (gold/black), Iowa Hawkeyes, Pittsburg Steelers (gold/black). Hand signs: Three-fingered crown formed above the head or at chest level. Graffiti: 'LK,' crowned '5,' broken or inverted six-pointed stars (disrespect to Folk Nation).
Executive Summary:
The Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (ALKQN) is assessed as one of the largest and most organizationally disciplined Hispanic criminal street gangs operating within the United States and internationally. Originating in Chicago circa 1954 as a civil rights advocacy entity for marginalized Latino communities, the organization underwent a strategic pivot toward illicit operations by the late 1960s. The ALKQN maintains a codified constitution ('The King Manifesto' and 'The Bible'), governing membership conduct, organizational hierarchy (Corona/Inca/Cacique structure), and operational protocols. The dual-city power axis between Chicago's 'Motherland' chapter and New York's 'Bloodline' chapter has historically created internal power struggles.
Principal illicit activities encompass multi-state narcotics distribution (cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, cannabis), weapons trafficking, extortion of local businesses, insurance fraud, robbery, and murder-for-hire operations. The organization functions as a cornerstone of the People Nation alliance in the Midwest theatre. Federal law enforcement operations — including Operation Crown (2009, SDNY, 22 indictments) and multiple Chicago-based RICO prosecutions — have targeted upper-tier leadership, resulting in significant custodial sentences for ranking members. Despite sustained law enforcement pressure, the ALKQN retains significant recruiting capability within correctional facilities and urban school systems, maintaining operational strength across an estimated 160+ documented chapters nationwide.