What is the MS-13 gang?
Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, is an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1970s and 1980s. Originally, the gang was set up to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other gangs in the Los Angeles area. Over time, the gang grew into a more traditional criminal organization.
How is MS-13 involved in human smuggling?
There have also been reports of MS-13’s involvement in human smuggling. In 2004, the FBI created the MS-13 National Gang Task Force, which coordinates cooperation among local and State law enforcement agencies, including facilitation in the flow of information among these agencies in order to dismantle MS-13.
How many MS-13 gang members have been arrested in El Salvador?
^ Rojas, Nicole (July 28, 2017). “113 suspected MS-13 gang members arrested in El Salvador”. International Business Times UK. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2017. ^ “Ruthless Central American gang seeks Toronto toehold, police say – The Star”. thestar.com. June 5, 2008.
What is MS 13 and how is it organized?
According to a government report, MS 13 is loosely organized except for its urban strongholds where there may be a governing council. Members know one another through gang signs and tattoos, which may include the gang name and devil’s horns.
What are some good books about MS-13?
” MS-13: A GANG PROFILE ” ( Archive ). Journal of Gang Research. Volume 16, Number 4. Summer, 2009. Arana, Ana (2005). “How the Street Gangs Took Central America”. Foreign Affairs. 84 (3): 98–110. doi: 10.2307/20034353. JSTOR 20034353. De Amacis, Albert ( MPMM, MPIA ). ” Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) And Its Violent World ” ( Archive ).
Does MS-13 have a presence in Texas?
Presence. MS-13 appears to use Texas as a stopping point for travel from Los Angeles to the East Coast and for the trafficking of drugs, humans, and weapons between Mexico and the United States. In Central America, the gang is strongest in the “Northern Triangle” of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala.
Who is the leader of MS-13 in Virginia?
Rances Ulices Amaya, a leader of MS-13, of Springfield, Virginia, was convicted in February 2012 for trafficking girls as young as 14 into a prostitution ring. He was sentenced in June 2012 to 50 years in prison for child prostitution.