Highlights
– MS-13 is one of the most dangerous and violent gangs in the US
– Members engage in a wide range of criminal activities ranging from drug trafficking to carjacking to murder
– MS-13 will remain a challenge for officials in the long-term
Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) remains one of the most dangerous and violent gangs operating within the United States. What began as a group of Salvadoran immigrants, who fled to the US in the 1980s, has emerged into an organization with a reputation for brutality that has made it a primary focus of both local and federal law enforcement officials.
With an estimated membership of up to 10,000 in the US alone (and another 60,000 in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala), MS-13 is considered the most active in the western and northeastern sections of the country, corresponding with the high number of Salvadorian immigrants in those regions. However, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), officials have noted a recent influx of members to the southeast, which has resulted in a spike in violent crimes in that area.
The majority of MS-13 members are Salvadorian nationals, however there are also a significant number of individuals from Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and other Central and South American countries. There is also an increasing number of members who are second or third-generation immigrants, many who are in the US legally. Because of the regional influence of the gang, the security threat posed by its members residing in the US will pose a long-term problem.
Criminal Activities
MS-13 members engage in a wide range of criminal activities such as drug and illegal firearm sales, home invasion, burglary, murder, witness intimidation, carjacking, and extortion. Officials have stated that the group has even formed commerce routes across the US for its drug trafficking operations.
Yet above all, MS-13 is best known for its extreme brutality, as seen through numerous violent incidents including machete attacks and beheadings. Several of these instances have occurred in Northern Virginia, notably the 2003 stabbing death of a pregnant 17-year old who had become a police informant.
While the majority of violence is directed against rival gangs and enemies, as well as MS-13 members who are disloyal or insubordinate, there are instances where innocent citizens are harmed in indiscriminate violence.
Communication Between Cliques
As previously reported, MS-13 has the ability to communicate and operate between Central America and the US, with authorities noting connections between cliques, or cells, both inside and outside the US. Officials have stated that there are several instances where the gang worked to centralize its activities between cliques in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC. (Previous Report).
Authorities have also reported increased communication between cliques in the US and those in Central America, such as Salvadorian leaders of MS-13 giving orders from their jail cells in that country to members of the gang operating in Maryland.
While the exact level and extent of these connections is unclear, the FBI has stated that the gang does not have an official national leadership structure at this time. Cliques maintain communications in order to coordinate activities that span states or regions, however there is no known central authority on the national level.
Moving Forward
MS-13 has been the focus of numerous federal and local initiatives over the years, including the October 2007 launch of an international partnership between the US and El Salvador to focus on combating the gang’s activities (Previous Report). Additionally, the FBI announced the opening of a new anti-gang facility in Northern Virginia that houses the National Gang Intelligence Center and the National Gang Targeting, Enforcement, and Coordination Center, that will work to protect communities from gangs impacting the homeland, including MS-13.
These initiatives as well as others by US officials are all important tools in combating the activities of MS-13, however challenges will remain. MS-13 has continued to strengthen over the past several years, and the FBI has classified its membership growth at a “moderate” rate, by way of recruitment, as well as migration. Authorities also remain concerned about the growing efficiency of the gang’s operations, which have increased in sophistication and precision (Previous Report).
Further, MS-13, as well as other US gangs, uses the Internet to communicate, recruit new members, and bolster its reputation, which will assist the gang in continuing its growth across the country (Previous Report).
Also of concern is the insulated nature of the gang, and its ability to elude and evade normal policing tactics. Because of MS-13’s ability to intimidate, harass and eliminate witnesses, the use of police informants is very limited. As a result, the inability to obtain a complete picture of the organizations hierarchy and leadership will hamper law enforcement’s ability to effectively target the gang.
Due to the international scope of MS-13, as well as its rising sophistication and membership, the gang will remain a problem for US officials, and the general public, in the long-term.
