The Most Dangerous Gang In the Country

Mara Salvatrucha perpetrate violence—from assaults to homicides, using firearms, machetes, or blunt objects—to intimidate rival gangs, law enforcement, and the general public. They often target middle and high school students for recruitment. And they form tenuous alliances...and sometimes vicious rivalries...with other criminal groups, depending on their needs at the time.

Who are they? Members of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, most of them are Salvadoran nationals or first generation Salvadoran-Americans, but also Hondurans, Guatemalans, Mexicans, and other Central and South American immigrants. According to the FBI Assessment MS-13 is considered a “High Level” threat to the entire country.
　

“MS-13 operates in at least 42 states and the District of Columbia and has about 6,000-10,000 members nationwide.” You heard right more than 6,000 members nationwide. Currently, the threat is highest in the western and northeastern parts of the country, which explains it because many of the Salvadoran immigrants come into those areas.

MS-13 members engage in a wide range of criminal activity, including drug distribution, murder, rape, prostitution, robbery, home invasions, immigration offenses, kidnapping, carjackings/auto thefts, and vandalism. Most of these crimes, you'll notice, have one thing in common—they are very violent. And while most of the violence is directed toward other MS-13 members or rival street gangs, innocent citizens often get caught in the crossfire.

MS-13 is expanding its membership at a "moderate" rate

through recruitment and migration. Some MS-13 members move to get jobs or to be near family members—currently, MS-13 often recruits new members by glorifying the gang lifestyle (like other gangs, they use the Internet to promote their gang) and by adding smaller gangs into MS-13.

“Right now, MS-13 has no official national leadership structure.” MS-13 originated in Los Angeles, but when members migrated, they began forming cliques that for the most part operated independently. These cliques, though, often maintain regular contact with members in other regions to coordinate recruitment/criminal activities and to prevent conflicts. Los Angeles gang members have an elevated status among MS-13 across the country, a system of respect that could potentially evolve into a more organized national structure.