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Line 18: Money, cars and girls - Why I joined a violent gang

Sky News speaks to a gang member about why he joined despite the risk of being stabbed or shot "at any second".

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'If I don't like him, I could go stab him'
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The Woolwich Boys have a violent reputation and are believed to supply much of the drugs sold in southeast London.

Here, K1, 19, a senior member who was recently released from prison, explains what it's like to be in a gang and why he's drawn into the dangerous lifestyle.

I've chosen this lifestyle for the money. I've chosen to do it as it's hard for us to get an opportunity in life to be someone good, to be someone successful.

This life came to us easy.

:: Add to , , , .

It's like a game to us. You start it. You get loads of money coming in. Nice cars. Nice clothes. Nice girls. You can do whatever you want.

It's a living where obviously there are ups and downs. You could get shot at any second. Stabbed at any second.

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Gangs wearing stab-proof vests on the streets

These roads - they aren't safe roads.

My mate carries a knife because there are haters, people that wanna kill you. He says it's his protection. They're gonna pull out a weapon and so are you - it's an eye for an eye.

They don't do no fist fighting these days, it's 2018 - they're gonna pull something out on you and so are you.

This is Woolwich and this is where we're all from and where we all hang around - this is just the hood.

My gang are powerful around here. People know our faces and they know what we're about, at the end of the day. We do our thing and we're out here to make a living.

K, 19, says he joined a gang for easy money
Image: 'My gang are powerful around here', says K1

If I walk around and people see my face, they know who I am. They see me and they know my name; they go "wagwan bro?". I'm quite a known face around here.

I like it that people know who I am. I like it.

When I'm out I'm not fearful - but there is paranoia. Thinking who's there? Who's in that car over there? Who's that? Obviously you're watching what's going on.

My rivals are my ops for a reason. They've done some stuff to me or to my people to make us be after them.

I say if there's a guy over there and because I don't like him I could go up and stab him.

It's not a gang; it's a family.

We're all groups of boys who grew up in the same estate, we were all at the same school together.

If a rival gang member does something to one of my gang members - all of my lot will be after them because one of them disrespected one of my family members

Some people come from a good background, some people chose it, some people have to do it and I don't have a choice.

Some people come from a good background, some people chose it, some people have to do it and I don't have a choice
K1, gang member

I know a couple youths who come from a good background and they know a couple mates who've done it and they say let me join in, I wanna do it.

I know kids who've come from Chelsea, everywhere. Good, nice mum and dad - but they've chosen to do this, while some of us have no choice.

Some of us come from estates, ghetto places and all you see around you when you walk out your house is youths standing on a street corner selling drugs, smoking drugs and you look at them thinking yeah, "I think I wanna be like them one day".

Is this all worth worrying my parents? As my mate says, your mum only worries if she knows that you're in trouble. You don't chat to your mum about that stuff because you don't want to worry her. You make sure that every day you call or go back to see your parents.

:: Line 18 is a journey through modern Britain in 2018. It runs the length of the UK from Northern Ireland into Scotland, passing through Lancashire, Manchester, the West Midlands, London and Essex.

It will examine the divides and fractures in society through the voices of those affected, and backed up by data which shines a new light on how Britain is changing.