Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, was formed in the early 1980s in Los Angeles, by Salvadoran immigrants as a self-defense mechanism against rival Mexican gangs. The organization has about 30,000 members, 8,000 – 10,000 of which exist in the US. The majority of the gang is comprised of Salvadorans, Hondurans, Guatemalans, and Nicaraguans. The gang is strongest in the border region with Guatemala, especially the state of Chiapas. Drawn by the tens of thousands of Central American migrants seeking illicit passage through Mexico to the United States, MS-13 has developed into one of the foremost players in the nation’s thriving human trafficking industry. MS-13, is strongest in Central America, especially El Salvador, but extends its criminal enterprise across the US, including cities like Los Angeles, New York and the Washington, DC, region.The MS503 reportedly broke away from the MS13 after some gang leaders allegedly received money during negotiations with…
Mara Salvatruchas (MS-13)
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