Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos
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Founded1980s
FoundinglocationTexas Department of Criminal Justice[1]
Yearsactive1980s–present
TerritoryTexas and Mexico[1]
 HPL members use hand signals | |
| Founded | 1980s |
|---|---|
| Founding location | Texas Department of Criminal Justice[1] |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Territory | Texas and Mexico[1] |
| Ethnicity | Latinos[1] |
| Membership (est.) | Over 1,000[1] |
| Activities | Drug trafficking[1] |
Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos (HPL) is a Mexican American prison gang founded by Chino Avitia in Texas during the early 1980s.[2][3][4] The English translation of the gang's name is "Brotherhood of Latin Gunmen". It operates in all Texas prisons and on the streets in many communities in Texas, particularly in Laredo.[5] HPL is active throughout Mexico with its largest contingent in Nuevo Laredo. The gang is structured and is estimated to have over 1,000 members.[2][6] Members maintain close ties to several Mexican drug trafficking organizations and are involved in the trafficking of large quantities of cocaine and marijuana from Mexico into the United States for distribution.