Jackal Syndicate

The Jackal Syndicate

A mural depicting the mascot of the gang in the city of Alexandria.
Founded	October 13, 2002 (2002-10-13)
Founders	Christian Barker (alleged Overboss), "The Council"
Named after	Mythology
Founding location	Memphis, Carthage, Unified Sera
Years active	2002-present
Territory	Northern and Central Sera, International
Ethnicity	Seran, Timmerian,
Membership	approx.15 - 20,000
Criminal activities	Blackmail Exhortion Racketeering Bribery Human Trafficking Murder Narcotics Smuggling and Distribution music industries drug trafficking money laundering arms trafficking health care fraud immigration fraud
Allies	Scions of Samedi
Rivals	Five Families
Notable members	Ghetto Prophet alleged, J Royalty

The Jackal Syndicate is a large, organized multinational criminal cartel located in Unified Sera's north and central areas. Founded in Memphis, Carthage in 2002 (allegedly) by prominent Zamastanian-born business tycoon and firearm manufacturing CEO Christian Barker and "The Council". The gang initially rose as a result of violence perpetrated by members of the 76th Street Cartel assaulting and dealing drugs in Memphis, Carthage. This led to the formation of the precursor of the gang proper, and eventually culminated in the 2003 Seran Gang Wars between what would become the Syndicate and the 76ers. The Syndicate's primary activities include Extortion, Narcotic manufacturing and distribution, smuggling, gun-running, racketeering, murder, and human trafficking. These illicit activities placed the Cartel among Sera's most violent and wanted criminal organizations.

As a multinational gang, the Syndicate sources members and influence from several countries across Adula and the outside world. However, the Office of Criminal Interdiction and Investigation (OCII), and Division of Special Investigations (DSI) believe that many of the higher-ranking members of the Syndicate are comprised of former and active-duty members of the Seran military and militaries from other countries, and business moguls. Most notably among these are the alleged affiliations with the organization from Seran hip hop artist Franco Xavier who is known by his stage name Ghetto Prophet, and the CEO of firearm manufacturing firm Muzzle Velocity Christian Barker. Jerome Foster's (also known as J Royalty) ties to the Syndicate are well known and established after his arrest in 2014 for drug possession with intent to distribute, earning him a 4-year sentence. During the trial, evidence was provided to the court demonstrating his involvement as a drug runner and dealer for the Syndicate before his arrest. His affiliation with the Syndicate has stayed out of the public eye after completing his sentence.

The Syndicate as compared to other gangs of similar size displays less overt violence and infrequently engages in more brutal acts against opponents. Instead, the Syndicate prefers "precise" and direct methods and opts to utilize hitmen to kill targets out of the public eye. The gang has not been known to discriminate between age, race, nationality, or gender when performing "hits" against opponents. According to the OCII, the youngest victim of the gang's violence was 14-year-old Jontavious Green who was assassinated by Jackal hitmen for selling narcotics in Jackal territory without engaging in a "parlay" with the local chapter boss.

History

In the early 2000s, the criminal organization known as the 76th Street Cartel began to expand its territories northward out of central-Sera. Smaller gangs in the area such as the Twelve Points, 8th Street Kings, and the Greater Seran Brotherhood found themselves immediately under fire as the 76ers muscled in on their territory. What would then transpire in its wake were a wave of killings, bombings, executions, and drive-bys that would leave hundreds dead and many more injured. Local city police were unable to quell the surge in criminal activity, nor could a deployment of State Police into the city slow the overwhelming growth of narcotic related businesses. Gov. James Scott of Carthage - as well as governors of neighboring states - declared states of emergency in the cities wherein which the gang warfare was the most prolific.

After the brutal murder of a police officer during a drive-by shooting while conducting a traffic stop, public outcry and fears among police officers led to widespread strikes and refusals to work from officers in the hardest hit areas. This led to many governors to deploy units of the National Guard to act as police units. Instead of slowing the tide of mounting violence, the frequency of clashes between gang members and the national guard led to more casualties.

Two Enforcers of the Syndicate are seen posing for a photo for an Ayotola Times reporter.

When members of the 76ers were tied to the butchering of a national guardsman in May 2004, unidentified members of the Twelve Points, 8th Street Kings, the Seran Brotherhood, the Black Lords, disillusioned members of the National Guard, and "members of the concerned community" convened in the Flying Taphouse, a bar in southside Ayotola. The OCII belives that it was during this meeting that the Jackal Syndicate was born. Led by the "Overboss" of the Syndicate (whose identity was never officially stated but is believed to be Barker) who is only ever mentioned during meetings and correspondence as the "Overboss" or "The Dog". Violence exploded in late 2004 after the Syndicate marshaled its newfound strength and mounted all-out urban warfare against the 76th Street Cartel.

With the killing of 76er boss Hasan "Tyrant" Lisbon during an ambush by Syndicate members at a car wash, the 76ers in north Sera were effectively headless. Those who were part of the gang were then killed, rolled into the Syndicate, or fled south. No longer bound by laws or regulations, the Syndicate's effective and brutal war against the 76ers led to a full reversal in gang related activity from the 76ers in northern Sera. Experts indicate that there has existed a truce between the Syndicate and the 76ers since the "end" of hostilities between the organizations that has persisted. To avoid bloodshed, it is common for gang-members operating in the "turf" or territory of the rival gang to engage in a "parlay" with the local boss to obtain a "writ" that gives the member in question that "legal" authority to conduct business on their turf.

Description

Etymology

The term "Jackal" is believed to have arose due to the connotation of resourcefulness and innovation associated with the animal. It is likely that the gang chose this to be their symbol as a way to depict their own symbolic tactfulness and resourcefulness.

Organization

The Mask

The Syndicate adopted the term "Security Through Obscurity" and practices this idea through the creation, wearing, and veneration of the iconic masks worn by ranking members. These masks are central to the persona of a Jackal, and therefore great importance is placed on the creation and design of these masks. When a Jackal is made an Enforcer, they gain the right to create a mask for themselves. Each mask is unique to the individual and can in a way identify the wearer, while also lending a sense of authority to the wearer. Despite this, Seran law enforcement agencies have in the past had trouble identifying and capturing members of the gang based on the appearance of these masks, as those who are Enforcers rarely commit crimes in the public eye. These crimes go unreported until they had long-since left the area. Those above Enforcers rarely perpetrate crimes themselves.

In response to public outcry and pressure from law enforcement, the Executive branch sought to ban the manufacturing and ownership of these masks, arguing that they function similarly to drug paraphernalia in facilitating criminal behavior. However, this proposed legislation faced significant legal challenges on the grounds that it violated free speech protections guaranteed by the Articles of Federation. The case of Levens v. Unified Sera was brought before the High Tribunal to address the constitutionality of outlawing the masks. The petitioner, Martin Levens - a Syndicate gang member who was arrested and found to be in possession of a mask, argued that the ban infringed upon the fundamental rights of free speech and expression, as enshrined in the Articles of Federation. He further argued that simply possessing the mask did not associate an individual with the illicit activities of the Syndicate, nor did it make them a member.

The High Tribunal, in a landmark ruling, found in favor of the petitioner, Levens. The court held that the prohibition on the manufacturing and ownership of the masks worn by Jackal Syndicate members constituted a violation of freedom of expression as envisioned in the Articles of Federation as the mask did not facilitate illegal activities. The court likened having a Jackal mask to having a ski mask in its function and possession.

A member of the Syndicate standing on a street corner and donning the Syndicate's iconic Anubis masks.

The Chief Justice of the High Tribunal wrote the majority opinion. In it, he stated that: "While the government's interest in preventing crime and ensuring public safety is compelling, any restriction on speech must be narrowly tailored to serve that interest without unnecessarily infringing upon constitutional rights. In this case, a blanket ban on the masks is overly broad and fails to consider less restrictive means of achieving the same goal. Moreover, it is pertinent to note that the mere ownership or creation of these masks does not constitute a criminal act. It is the misuse of such items in the commission of crimes that warrants legal attention. Therefore, enforcement efforts should focus on the criminal actions themselves rather than the symbolic artifacts associated with them."