What is the name of the drug kingpin in the first season?

The drug kingpin in the first season of *The Wire* is Avon Barksdale.

Avon, played by Wood Harris, leads the Barksdale Organization, a powerful drug-dealing crew operating mainly in West Baltimore. Season 1 begins when Detective Jimmy McNulty draws attention to the organization after recognizing its members during a murder trial. The resulting Major Crimes investigation focuses on Avon’s network, territory, suppliers, enforcers, and wiretap targets.

A common mix-up is Stringer Bell, Avon’s close friend and second-in-command. Stringer handles much of the organization’s day-to-day business and is central to its strategic operations, but Avon is the formal leader and kingpin during the first season. Omar Little is a legendary stick-up artist who targets drug dealers, while Marlo Stanfield becomes the central rival in later seasons.

Avon’s influence also extends beyond the street trade: the organization uses businesses such as Orlando’s strip club as fronts, while Avon’s rivalry with East Baltimore leaders helps show how drug territory and personal reputation shape Baltimore’s criminal hierarchy.