Name: Barrio Mojados 13 (BMS13)
Also Known As: BMS, BM, Wet Town, Weteros
Founded: 1970s
Place of Origin: Low Bottoms, South Central Los Angeles, California
Primary Territory: Vernon Avenue to 54th/55th Street, between Central Avenue and Compton Avenue
Other Areas: Florence area (Manchester–76th Street), 50s near the 110 Freeway, reported presence in Lodi, California
Ethnicity: Primarily Mexican-American
Affiliation: Sureños (aligned with the Mexican Mafia / La Eme)
Cliques: 23rd (HPLS), 43rd Street (CLS), 48th Street (PPL), 49th Street (MFS/Mafiosos), 54th Street (TGS/Tiny Gangsters), 82nd Street (LCS)
Primary Activities: Vandalism, narcotics sales, firearms possession, robbery, assault, attempted murder, murder
Primary Rival: 38th Street Gang
Rivals: Florencia 13, 18th Street, Carnales 13, Playboys, Mad Swan Bloods, Pueblo Bishops, Avalon Gangster Crips, 53 Avalons
Allies: Main Street Crips, All For Crime (AFC)
Barrio Mojados 13 (BMS), also known as the Wet Town Gang, is a Sureño street gang originating from the Low Bottoms region of South Los Angeles in the 1970s. Though limited in size and territory, the gang built a reputation for violence disproportionate to its size, forcing larger and more established gangs to acknowledge it as a constant factor in an already volatile landscape.
Positioned in one of the most gang-dense regions in Los Angeles, Barrio Mojados operates in a constant state of friction—engaging across Sureño, Blood, and Crip lines simultaneously, rather than adhering to traditional alliance structures.
On the street level, Barrio Mojados is often viewed as a gang that does not operate within clear boundaries—engaging rivals across racial and organizational lines, making its conflicts less predictable than those of more structured sets.
Origins and Formation
Barrio Mojados 13 emerged in the 1970s within the Low Bottoms, a historically marginalized area shaped by poverty, racial division, and shifting demographics. At the time, the neighborhood was predominantly African American, and the formation of a Mexican-American gang in this environment reflects broader patterns of territorial identity forming along ethnic and geographic lines.
The name “Barrio Mojados,” translated as “Wet Town,” became a defining identity marker. Historical accounts suggest the term originated among early Hispanic youth and was later adopted as a gang identity—reportedly reclaimed in response to derogatory language used by rivals.
As with other Sureño gangs, the “13” signifies allegiance to the Mexican Mafia (La Eme), linking Barrio Mojados to the broader Southern California prison-based structure that influences gang behavior and expectations.
Territory and Cliques
Barrio Mojados operates within a tight but highly contested section of South Central Los Angeles, primarily under the LAPD’s Newton Division. Court testimony consistently places their core boundaries between:
- Vernon Avenue to 54th/55th Street
- Central Avenue to Compton Avenue
This places BMS directly inside a high-density gang area, where multiple rival territories intersect within a few blocks—making conflict a constant rather than an exception.
The gang functions through a clique-based structure, with each section tied to specific streets:
Low Bottoms (East Side – Original Territory)
The foundation of Barrio Mojados and its most active zone.
Key cliques include:
- 43rd Street
- 48th Street
- 49th Street (frequently referenced as one of the most active)
This area appears repeatedly in court cases involving shootings, graffiti activity, and gang identification.
Florence Area (Southside)
Located between:
- Manchester Avenue and 76th Street
- Broadway to San Pedro Street
This region is one of the most volatile, where Barrio Mojados overlaps with both rivals and temporary allies, creating ongoing retaliation cycles.
The 50s (Westside)
Historically active between:
- 52nd and 58th Streets near the 110 Freeway
This section has seen a measurable decline in activity in recent years but remains part of the gang’s historical footprint.
Expansion Beyond Los Angeles
Though primarily localized, Barrio Mojados has been reported to establish a limited presence outside Los Angeles, including Lodi, California, reflecting migration patterns seen in other Sureño-affiliated gangs.
Identity and Symbols
Barrio Mojados members are identified through a combination of graffiti, tattoos, and verbal identifiers, including:
- “BMS”
- “BM”
- “WT” (Wet Town)
- “Wet Town” graffiti
- Numeric identifiers such as “54” (linked to specific cliques)
Like many modern gangs, BMS has shifted toward less visible identifiers, relying more on localized tagging, hand signs, and coded recognition.
Alliances and Rivalries
Barrio Mojados is widely regarded as a conflict-driven gang, with rivalries shaped by geography, proximity, and retaliation rather than strict affiliation.
Allies (Situational)
Main Street Crips
An unconventional alignment, primarily in the Florence area, where shared enemies—particularly the Swans—create temporary cooperation.
All For Crime (AFC)
A smaller allied group that has historically aligned with Barrio Mojados against mutual rivals, reflecting strategic partnerships.
Primary Rival
38th Street Gang
A decades-long and consistently documented conflict centered in the Low Bottoms corridor, with multiple shootings occurring along shared borders near Central and Vernon, making this one of Barrio Mojados’ most entrenched and violent rivalries.
Sureño Rivals
Florencia 13
One of the largest Sureño gangs in Los Angeles, whose proximity creates ongoing tension tied to territorial overlap and influence.
18th Street
A widespread gang whose interactions with Barrio Mojados are typically localized, but still contribute to periodic violence in overlapping areas.
Playboys (PBS 13)
A nearby South Los Angeles gang whose proximity leads to intermittent clashes over territory and street reputation.
Blood Rivals
Mad Swan Bloods
A particularly intense rivalry in the Florence area, where overlapping territories produce frequent retaliation cycles.
Pueblo Bishops Bloods
Their close proximity contributes to recurring confrontations tied to neighborhood boundaries.
Crip Rivals
Avalon Gangster Crips
A nearby Crip set whose territory overlaps in parts of South Central Los Angeles, resulting in repeated street-level conflicts.
53 Avalon Gangster Crips
A subset operating within close range of Barrio Mojados territory, increasing the likelihood of direct encounters.Barrio Mojados territory, increasing the likelihood of
Conflict Pattern
Unlike gangs that operate within rigid alliance systems, Barrio Mojados demonstrates a pattern of multi-directional conflict, where proximity and territory outweigh traditional affiliations.
Criminal Activity
Across multiple California appellate cases, law enforcement experts testified that Barrio Mojados has consistently engaged in:
- Vandalism and graffiti
- Narcotics sales and possession
- Firearms possession
- Robbery
- Assault with deadly weapons
- Attempted murder
- Murder
These activities are described as methods used to maintain reputation, enforce territorial control, and intimidate rivals and civilians.
Notable Incidents
Barrio Mojados appears repeatedly in appellate cases involving violent confrontations:
- In one murder case, suspects reportedly shouted “Wet Town” while flashing gang signs before opening fire at close range.
- Multiple shootings occurred in border zones between BMS and 38th Street territory, reinforcing the intensity of that rivalry.
- Witness testimony frequently includes challenges such as “Where are you from?”, often immediately preceding violence.
These incidents reflect a consistent pattern of identity verification followed by rapid escalation.
Gang Injunction and Law Enforcement Attention
Barrio Mojados was named in a proposed gang injunction targeting multiple South Los Angeles gangs within the Florence–Pueblo Del Rio Safety Zone.
The injunction sought to restrict:
- Public association between members
- Carrying weapons
- Possession of graffiti tools
This reflects law enforcement’s classification of Barrio Mojados as an active criminal street gang requiring targeted suppression efforts.