Before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans gangs tended to be small violent local groups divided among its 17 voting districts known as "wards".
[2] Some of the most vicious cliques, like the Dooney Boys and the 9th ward G-Strip Gang, moved to other cities and clashed with each other in violent gun battles.
New Orleans drug crews became involved in violent crime and murders and spread throughout the drug trade in host cities and states such as Atlanta, Houston, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Dallas, Biloxi, Baton Rouge, and Jacksonville.
[3][4] In 2012, Mayor Mitch Landrieu formed the Multi-Agency Gang (MAG) Unit, which is the key enforcement component of the Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS).
The MAG Unit identifies the most dangerous and influential gang members and removes them from the community.