MS-13
Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, is an international criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s. Originally, the gang was set up to protect Salvadoran immigrants from other gangs in the Los Angeles area. Over time, the gang grew into a more traditional criminal organization. MS-13 has a long time rivalry with the 18th Street gang.
Members frequently have identifiable tattoos | |
| Founded | 1980s |
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| Founding location | Pico-Union, Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Years active | 1980s–present |
| Territory | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, United States, Canada and Spain |
| Ethnicity | Primarily Salvadoran, but also Honduran, Guatemalan and Mexican |
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| Activities | Drug trafficking, alien smuggling, weapons trafficking, murder, rape, assault, kidnapping, identification theft, prostitution, robbery, auto theft, extortion, vandalism |
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Many MS-13 members were deported to El Salvador after the end of the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992, or upon being arrested, facilitating the spread of the gang to Central America. The gang is currently active in many parts of the continental United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Most members are Central American — Salvadorans in particular.
As an international gang, its history is closely tied to United States–El Salvador relations. In 2018, the gang's US membership of up to 10,000 accounted for less than 1% of the 1.4 million gang members in the United States, and a similar share of gang murders. The gang is often referenced by the United States' Republican Party to advocate for stricter immigration policies.