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With the combined forces of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Santa Barbara County Sheriff and Santa Maria Sheriff, an investigation to identify and eliminate drug trafficking of street gangs has resulted in the seizure of numerous pounds of cocaine, marijuana, firearms and methamphetamine.
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No matter which big bad bloody band of barrio bad boys you might be dealing with, I'll bet they are taking their orders from prison-gang inmates. And when one prison gang member can walk with immunity into some street gang's turf and order them to murder one of their own, that's a clue.
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Sureños can be found in every major city in the U.S. They can be found in Canada, Mexico, Europe, and South America. The big transnational super gangs such as Florence, 18th Street, and Mara Salvatrucha threaten the stability of some Central American nations.
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After noticing an upswing in gang activity in 2006, the Livermore (Calif.) Police Department's gang unit began more targeted efforts to keep the city's illegal gang activities under control. In this clip produced by the Contra Costa Times, officers confiscate a baseball bat painted with "XIII" for 13, which refers to the letter 'M' (13th in the alphabet) to pledge allegience to the Mexican Mafia.
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Have you ever wondered why gang members wear the ridiculous costumes that they do? Why do they wear their pants sagging below their butts exposing their underwear? There's actually a company that stitches boxer-type underwear into the baggy pants to achieve the baggy pants clown look. POLICE gang expert Richard Valdemar explains the information to be learned from gangster clothing. Valdemar provided the images.
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No one in a predatory environment wanted tight, close-fitting clothing. Status in custody was displayed by wearing new, especially large baggy clothing, ironed or pressed to military-like creases.
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LAPD gang officers Flores and Espinoza from the Southwest Division patrol the streets of South Los Angeles. Along the way, they meet gang leaders, explain the meaning of tagging and go into the division's "war room" to strategize with other officers. Video via Elie Seckbach of ESNEWS.
Read More →In the mid-1980s these crack and PCP drug wars exploded into unprecedented violence and open gang wars on the streets of Los Angeles and Compton. The evolution of fortified crack houses with iron sally port entrances and video surveillance and the appearance of gang members wearing body armor who engaged in firefights using military-style weapons and multiple shooters, forced the police to play catch-up tactically. And the cost in human lives was staggering.
Read More →Mexican authorities continue to report a steady rise in "Sureño" gang activity in San Luis, Mexico. This has become a serious concern for both Mexican law enforcement and the general public.
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Tattoos are an excellent tool for law enforcement and corrections officers to use to identify known or suspected gang members. This gallery includes examples of tattoos worn by predominanly Latino gangs such as the Mexican Mafia, MS-13, and the Latin Kings. The number "13" is used because M (or La Eme) is the thirteenth letter of the alphabet and is used to signify the Mexican Mafia, which uses Sureños—gangs that swear allegiance to the Mexican Mafia—to carry out its orders from prison.
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