Pyke

The Pyke Syndicate, prominently known as the Pykes, is a powerful criminal organization within the Star Wars universe. They are a species of humanoid aliens, native to the planet Oba Diah, who play a crucial role in producing and distributing spice, an illicit substance used throughout the galaxy. The Pykes made their major appearance in several episodes of the animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels, where their activities revolve around the spice mines of Kessel. They are recognizable by their long, slender heads, yellow eyes, and with a height shorter than an average human.

In the criminal underworld hierarchy, the Pykes were influential enough to have a seat on the powerful Shadow Collective run by Darth Maul. They controlled most of the galaxy's spice trade, making them a significant player in the underworld. They are notorious for their ruthless and cutthroat tactics to maintain control over their operations. The Pykes' mines were known to use slave labor, implying their ambivalence towards sentient life, in keeping with their criminal nature. Yet, despite their harsh reputation, by the time of the Empire's fall, the Pykes had lost much of their influence and power in the galaxy.