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The Liberty City Triads are a supporting antagonists of 3D Universe of Grand Theft Auto Games. They serve as a supporting antagonists in Grand Theft Auto III and in its prequel Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories.
History[]
Origins (1997-1998)[]
The transfer of Hong Kong to China in July 1997 marked a turning point for the Chinese Triads, which began to expand their influence in Chinese diaspora communities around the world. In Liberty City, a city known for its corruption and rampant crime, the Triads found fertile ground to establish themselves. They settled primarily in Chinatown, an ethnic enclave in the Portland district, where they began operating as a street gang with organized crime ambitions. Their initial activities included extorting local businesses, such as Mr. Wong's Laundrette Laundromat, and establishing front companies, such as the Turtle Head Fish Factory in Callahan Point and the Belly-Up Fish & Seafood Processing Plant, which disguised drug trafficking and money laundering operations.
In 1998, the Triads were an up-and-coming organization, but not yet rivaling established mafias such as the Leone Family. However, their aggressiveness caught the attention of Massimo Torini, a member of the Sicilian Mafia who sought to destabilize the Leone's control over Portland. Torini manipulated the Triads to intensify their efforts to control Chinatown, leading to direct confrontations with the Leone. One of the most significant incidents of this period was the destruction of a Leone warehouse at Callahan Point, an act of retaliation that marked the beginning of a turf war.
Expansion and conflicts (1998-2000)[]
Between 1998 and 2000, the Triads consolidated their control over Chinatown and began to expand into Portland's Red Light District and, according to some reports, into Rockford on Staunton Island. Their growth was fueled by an alliance with the Colombian Cartel, a South American organization that trafficked a synthetic drug known as SPANK. “Chunky” Lee Chong, a prominent member of the Triads, acted as a key liaison in this relationship, distributing drugs from a noodle restaurant in Chinatown.
During this period, the Triads repeatedly clashed with the Leone Family, whose influence in Portland was dominant under the leadership of Salvatore Leone. In 1998, Toni Cipriani, a loyal member of the Leone, carried out several operations against the Triads, including the murder of several of their members in Chinatown and the recovery of stolen money after the destruction of the warehouse in Callahan Point. These actions temporarily slowed the Triads' expansion, but did not stop their ambition.
By 2000, the Triads had extended their presence to Staunton Island, controlling areas such as Rockford. Although their influence remained secondary to the Leone, their ability to operate in multiple districts demonstrated their growing organization. They used Mr. Wongs vans, a variant of their signature Triad Fish Vans, to transport illicit goods and maintain their distribution network.
Rise and Fall (2001)[]
In 2001, the Triads reached their peak of power in Liberty City, completely controlling Chinatown and the Red Light District, with the Turtle Head Fish Factory as their main center of operations. Their alliance with the Colombian Cartel allowed them to flood the streets with SPANK, while extortion of businesses such as Mr. Wong's Laundrette generated steady income. However, their expansion put them in open warfare against the Leone Family, now led by Joey Leone after Salvatore's murder.
The conflict escalated quickly when Claude, a criminal working for the Leones, began attacking the Triads' interests. In a series of operations coordinated by Toni Cipriani, Claude eliminated “Chunky” Lee Chong, severing the connection to the Colombian Cartel, and assassinated three warlords of the gang, weakening their command structure. The final blow came when Claude destroyed the Turtle Head Fish Factory with a truck bomb, an attack that not only eliminated their main base, but also symbolized the Lions regaining control over Callahan Point, a territory the Triads had previously seized.
Although the Triads did not disappear completely, these events left them significantly weakened. Their influence in Liberty City was drastically reduced, and the Leone Family consolidated their hold on Portland. Reports in the Liberty Tree newspaper suggest that some Japanese members joined the Triads in this period, possibly indicating an attempt to ally with the Yakuza to regain ground, but there is no evidence that this relationship prospered.
