What Motorcycle Club Is '22' & How Did The Biker Gang Get That Number?

The Vagos Motorcycle Club, often referred to as the "Green Nation," is an outlaw biker gang with a bad reputation, commonly involved in drug and weapons trafficking, illegal weapons possession, extreme violence, and organized crime. But it wasn't always that way, this motorcycle gang was once a simple motorcycle club. Founded in 1965 in San Bernardino, California, the club started with just a bunch of motorcycle enthusiasts; however, as their numbers grew, so did their criminal activity and notoriety. 

A key identifier central to their identity is the number 22, which represents the letter "V" (the 22nd letter of the alphabet) for Vagos. Gang members often wear patches showing the number, as well as the Vagos insignia, which depicts Loki, the Norse god of mischief, riding a motorcycle. The motorcycle gang's presence expanded outside the state of California into Nevada, Oregon, and Hawaii, with international chapters in Mexico and Europe. 

According to the Department of Justice, the Green Nation operates with a hierarchical, military-like structure with defined ranks and roles. New members follow a strict path, beginning as "hang-arounds" before progressing to "prospects," and finally earning "full patch" status after passing loyalty and character tests. Hard-core rules govern members' conduct, secrecy, and commitment, with members expected to keep all club business private. Law enforcement agencies have established the Vagos motorcycle gang as a major factor in organized crime, which includes murder, kidnapping, and extortion. 

The Green Nation is also known for its intense rivalries and willingness to go to war with other biker gangs, particularly the Mongols Motorcycle Club and the largest outlaw motorcycle club in California, the Hells Angels. An infamous example of this is the 2011 Nugget Casino shooting in Nevada, where a Vagos member killed the president of a Hells Angels chapter.

U.S. law enforcement has used various methods to bring down the Green Nation criminal organization, such as undercover work and coordinated raids, leading to federal prosecutions. In the late 1990s, an ATF agent named Darrin Kozlowski infiltrated the Hollywood chapter and documented the club's hierarchy, rules, and criminal activity. His investigation uncovered how the gang's internal dynamics worked, strict expectations of loyalty, and social gatherings known as Green Hell. This information gave investigators everything they needed to understand how new members were tested and inducted. After Kozlowski's undercover stint was complete, law enforcement made its move, resulting in multiple arrests for possession of drugs and guns. 

Some years later, in 2006, there was a multi-agency crackdown involving more than 750 officers across multiple counties that resulted in 22 arrests of Vagos members. Authorities seized firearms, drugs, $6,000 in cash, and two stolen motorcycles. The charges included racketeering, murder, robbery, kidnapping, and aggravated assault.