Mara Salvatrucha refers to large gangs in Central America and the United States. The gang names are commonly abbreviated as MS, Mara, and MS-13, and are composed mostly of Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and other Central Americans. The Mara Salvatrucha gangs have cliques, or factions, located throughout the United States and Latin America.
The gang has moved beyond its Salvadoran and American origins and now can be found in other nations, including Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Spain, Australia, Great Britain and Germany, according to international press on criminal activity. Membership in the U.S was believed to be as many as 50,000 in the United States as of 2005 MS-13 criminal activities include drug smuggling and sales, black market gun sales, human trafficking, theft, assaults on law enforcement officials, and contract killing]
Their activities have caught the eye of the FBI, who in September 2005 initiated wide-scale raids against suspected gang members, netting 660 arrests across the country.[ In the United States, the gang's strongholds have historically been in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Miami, Southern California, Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, Maryland, the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, Richmond, and Delaware. Also in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. In Allentown, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and other areas of Pennsylvania, the gang is known for its street graffiti, which is used to depict their presence on certain blocks and also sometimes provides clues to their forthcoming crimes, including murder, robbery, narcotics, and especially as a prediction of retaliatory violence.
Former gang member Brenda Paz said that MS-13 is well structured, with multiple leaders, and that the gang's goal is to become the top gang in the United States
The Mara Salvatrucha gang originated in Los Angeles There is some dispute about the etymology of the name (see below: Etymology). The most common belief is that the word "Mara" refers to the Spanish word for "gang", and "Salvatrucha" (which is Spanish slang) for "Salvadoran army ant". Alternatively, it is suggested that "Salvatrucha" refers to the Salvadoran peasant guerrillas, the source of much of the gang's early manpower. The gang was set up in Los Angeles in 1980's by Salvadoran immigrants in the city's Pico-Union neighborhood.
Originally, the gang's main purpose was to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other, more established gangs of Los Angeles, who were predominately comprised of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans. For this reason, the gang initially allowed only Salvadorans to join, but later allowed other Hispanics to join as well.
Many Mara Salvatrucha gang members from the Los Angeles area have been deported either because of their illegal status in the United States, or for committing crimes as non-citizens, or both. As a result of these deportations, members of MS-13 have recruited more members in their home countries. The Los Angeles Times contends that deportation policies have contributed to the size and influence of the gang both in the United States and in Central America. El Salvadoran authorities report that approximately 60% of prison inmates serving time for gang-related crimes there have either fled prosecution or been deported from the United States.[
Many Mara Salvatrucha members cover themselves in tattoos. Common markings include "MS", "Salvatrucha" the "Devil Horns" the name of their clique and sometimes the number "13" A December 2007 CNN internet news article stated that the gang was moving away from the tattoos in an attempt to commit crimes without being noticed.
Members of MS-13, like members of most modern American gangs, utilize a system of hand signs for purposes of identification and communication. One of the most commonly displayed is the "devil's head" (formed by extending the index and little fingers of the hand while tucking in the middle and ring fingers with the thumb), which forms an M when displayed upside down. This hand sign is similar to the same symbol commonly seen displayed by heavy metal musicians and their fans.
Deported MS-13 members have difficulty leaving the gang. When they do return to their country they are held in a prison exclusively for MS-13 gang members until their cases are reviewed. Upon release even if they have a family support system, MS-13 members are expected to continue their membership in the gang. Failure to do so could result in punishment from the gang ranging from being physically assaulted by other members of the gang or by death.
