Full Name: Carnales 13 (CNLS / CXL)
Also Known As: South Side Carnales 13, CNLS, CXL, Carnales Locos
Founded: Late 1970s – Early 1980s
Founding Location: Florence-Graham / South Central Los Angeles, California
Ethnicity: Predominantly Hispanic (Mexican-American)
Affiliation: Mexican Mafia (Sureño)
Reported expansion: Brea (Orange County), Montclair (Inland Empire), Redwood City (Northern California)
Allies: Mexican-Mafia;
Rivals: Ghetto Boys (GBZ), Florencia 13, Barrio Mojados, 18th Street Gang, East Coast Crips;
Status: Active
The Carnales 13 (often abbreviated as CNLS or CXL) is a long-established Hispanic street gang that originated in the Florence-Graham and South Central regions of Los Angeles. They are a traditional Sureño set, meaning they are loyal to the Mexican Mafia and incorporate the number “13” into their identity to signify that allegiance.
Origins and Name
The name “Carnales” is Spanish slang for “brothers” or “blood brothers.” Emerging in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the gang formed as a tight-knit neighborhood group focused on mutual protection and shared identity.
Unlike larger “franchise-style” gangs with dozens of cliques spread across Los Angeles, Carnales 13 remained a more localized set, deeply rooted in specific blocks of South Central rather than expanding citywide during its early years.
Territory and Cliques
Their primary territory falls within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Police Department’s 77th Street Division, centered around 70th Street between Main Street and Broadway.
Additional accounts describe a broader “legacy zone” stretching between Broadway and Avalon from approximately 75th to 79th Street. This area functioned as a central hub during the gang’s formative years, where internal cliques such as the Midget Town Locos, Tiny Winos, and the Pequeños helped solidify the gang’s structure and identity.
This positioning places them in close proximity to other Hispanic gangs such as the Moonlight Cats 13, 67 Indo, and the Street Villains, creating a dense landscape of small, rival enclaves where territorial boundaries are often measured block by block.
Regional Expansion
Despite its localized origins, Carnales 13 displayed an uncommon pattern for smaller Sureño sets by expanding beyond Los Angeles. Over time, affiliated cliques reportedly emerged in areas such as Brea in Orange County, Montclair in the Inland Empire, and as far north as Redwood City in Northern California, where they became known as the “Carnales Locos.”
While this growth did not reach the scale of larger, nationally recognized gangs such as MS-13 or 18th Street Gang, it marked a transition from a strictly neighborhood-based group into a broader regional network.
Alliances and Rivalries
The history of Carnales 13 is defined by intense, block-by-block conflict with both Sureño and Crip rivals.
One of their most documented rivalries is with the Ghetto Boys (GBZ), another Hispanic gang operating in the same vicinity. Court cases such as People v. Zamora (2011) highlight how disputes over graffiti and territory near 70th and Main frequently escalated into shootings.
Their relationship with the Wild Boys (WBZ) has historically been fluid. While both operate within the broader Sureño identity, interactions between smaller sets often shift between temporary alliances and violent friction depending on leadership, personal disputes, and territorial pressure.
Carnales 13 has also faced long-standing tension with surrounding Crip gangs, particularly factions of the East Coast Crips. Like neighboring Hispanic sets, they have operated as a minority presence within a heavily Crip-dominated area, contributing to persistent racial and territorial conflict.
The rapid expansion of Carnales 13 placed them in direct, violent competition with some of the most powerful organizations in California. Their list of rivals included “Super Gangs” such as Florencia 13, 18th Street, and Barrio Mojados.
Modern Standing
Today, Carnales 13 is regarded as a resilient but relatively contained set. While they have not expanded globally, Carnales 13 is regarded as a resilient but relatively contained set. While they have not expanded globally like the MS-13 or 18th Street Gang, they maintain a consistent presence within their historic territory.
Their activity has been impacted by sustained law enforcement focus in the Florence-Graham area, including specialized gang task force operations aimed at reducing the “on-sight” violence that characterized many of their rivalries throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.