The Bandido's Intimidating Presence On U.S. Highways

A violent war for control of illicit drugs and weapons leaves a deadly trail of bullets and blood across highways in the U.S. Southwest.

It started eight years ago in a hail of gunfire between the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang and the Cossacks at the Twin Peaks Restaurant in Waco, Texas.

The violence escalated starting in May of 2023 leaving dead bodies on an interstate highway in Texas, at a biker bar in Oklahoma City, and at a once peaceful bike rally in New Mexico.

There's no sign of tempers and the rivalry cooling off anytime soon.

The Bandidos stand to lose a lot and they are fighting to hold on to their turf.

They are not Hollywood's romanticized version of the Sons of Anarchy.

The Justice Department considers the Bandidos one of the eight most dangerous motorcycle gangs in the U.S.

A gang threat assessment by the Texas Department of Public Safety ranked the Bandidos as a "Tier 2" gang — or the second-most dangerous classification — alongside the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas.

It appears that local law enforcement is not prepared to intervene and in some quarters may even fear the Bandidos.

According to the Bandidos legend, a 36-year-old Vietnam War veteran and Houston dockworker started the club in the 1960s. 

It adopted the red and gold colors of the U.S. Marine Corps.

They proudly wear the "patch" on their jackets and other apparel.

Mess with one Bandido and you are in effect messing with all of them.

The Bandidos maintain an international presence from Australia to Russia.

Detective Steve Cook, an expert on outlaw motorcycle gangs joins me in this episode of the True Crime Reporter® Podcast titled Death On Two Wheels: Everyone Wants A Piece Of The Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang.

It's a war that has spilled into threatening innocent bystanders.