MS-13


 * **__Name __**
 * Mara Salvatrucha-(MS-13) or La Mara Salvatrucha
 * **__Type of gang __**
 * Street Gang
 * **__Origins/History __**
 * 1980's pico union neighborhood of L.A.. Came from salvador about 1/5 population
 * **__Location/Turf __**
 * 42 states, 60,000 members. Most U.S. states, organized
 * **__Characteristicts __**
 * Central America's greatest problem.
 * Iniation 13 second beatin.
 * Has cliques throught world
 * Blue and white Honduras/Alsalvador flag
 * 30,000-50,000 members
 * 8,000-10,000 in USA
 * **__Criminal Activities __**
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Drug Trafficing
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Extortion
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Firearms Violations
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Assualt
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Drive-bys
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Murder
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Prostitution
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Robbers
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Identity Theft
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Weopons Trafficing
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Alien Smuggling
 * **__<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Impact on society __**
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Significant threat to local law enforcement
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Flexible
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Organized
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">Highly Violent
 * <span style="color: #010570; font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif;">MS-13 has carved a niche in society, and won't back down even to the authority of the FBI

MS-13 was organized during the 1980s in Los Angeles by Salvadorans. Having grown up with violence, members fled their country's civil war.When they arrived in Los Angeles, Mexican gangs preyed on them. The response was to band together in a mara, or "posse," composed of salvatruchas, or "street-tough Salvadorans" (the "13" is a gang number associated with southern California). Once confined to the inner city, MS-13's reach now extends across 42 states. The gang also now contaminates the most unexpected turf: suburban communities unaccustomed to deal with MS-13's ruthless brand of violence. Experts say there are currently 3,000 members in Northern Virginia. Membership has risen to 60,000 between the U.S. and Central America. It's criminal activities have expanded to include drug smuggling and sales, black market gun sales, human trafficking, assassinations for hire and assaults on law enforcement. Experts say most of their crimes are done on a whim. MS-13's notoriety exploded in recent years, fanned by bone-chilling reports of its machete attacks, beheadings and the fatal stabbing of a pregnant teenager after it was discovered she was a federal informer.**-(Historychannel.com)**

[] http://www.history.com/content/gangland/today-s-gangs/ms-13-suburbia []