Police Use Social Media To Bust Detroit Gang Whose Headquarters Was A Burger King

A violent gang made up of young men from Detroit, known as the Band Crew, was brought down by their collective love of social media — namely, the endless bragging about their criminal exploits across Facebook and Twitter.

The group reportedly made their gang status official during a meeting at a Detroit Burger King in 2011, according to a lengthy indictment from the U.S. Justice Department.

A widespread collaborative of several smaller gangs including Young N Crispy and Constantly Making Hundreds, Band Crew subsequently made the Burger King its unofficial headquarters. Outside the fast food restaurant, Band Crew regularly sold drugs and conducted other illicit affairs.

Now, police have taken eight of Band Crew's most social-media-dependent members into custody; all were confirmed to have engaged in criminal activity because they posted proof of their crimes — like selling drugs, owning weapons, and attempting murder — on Facebook or Twitter. All eight are between the ages of 18 and 22 and face charges related to racketeering and possession of weapons.