SAN ANTONIO – For the fourth year in a row, the Tango Blast gang network topped the list of Texas gangs that pose the greatest threat, a report from the Texas Department of Safety said.
Four gangs met the characteristics required for tier one status, otherwise known as the biggest threats in Texas -- those gangs include Tango Blast, Latin Kings, Texas Mexican Mafia and MS-13.
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"These four gangs continue to pose the greatest gang threat to Texas due to their relationships with Mexican cartels, consistent transnational criminal activity, statewide presence and a high propensity for violence, among other significant factors," the report said.
Not much changed in tier one rankings from 2015 to 2016, however, Texas Syndicate was downgraded to a tier two threat after maintaining tier one status for six years.
The report says San Antonio's biggest threat is the Tango Orejon clique -- part of the Tango Blast gang network.
Tango Blast is also the most active prison gang in Texas. Of the prisoners released during the 2015 fiscal year, 40 percent of them were members of Tango Blast and associated Tango cliques.
"Their rapid evolution, high level of criminal activity, propensity for violence, and relationships with Mexican cartels positions Tangos as the most significant gang threat to Texas," the report said.
Tango Blast is also one of the few Texas gangs to allow female members -- the female gang member population in Texas, however, is believed to be lower than 10 percent.
Read the full report here.