homeland security investigations national gang unit

Homeland Security Investigations

National Gang Unit

Law Enforcement Sensitive 2

The NGU was created in 2008 to oversee the following major operational and programmatic areas:

National Gang Unit (NGU)National Gang Unit (NGU)

• Operation Community Shield• National HSI SURGE operations• Criminal gang investigations, including VICAR and

RICO• ICEGangs database


The Homeland Security Investigations’ National Gang Unit will leverage its anti-gang initiative “Operation Community Shield” to enhance U.S. public safety by developing strategic domestic and foreign law enforcement partnerships, and utilizing those partnerships along with all of our unique legal authorities to target gangs, suppress their violence and prosecute their criminal enterprises.

Mission StatementMission Statement


Members Gangs

Street 1,140,344 30,313

OMG 44,108 2,965

Prison 231,136** N/A

*Based on 2010 and 2011 NGIC and NDIC data

**Based on reporting from 32 states

2011 Estimated Gang Membership2011 Estimated Gang Membership


• The lines between transnational gang activity and organized crime are blurry

• Gangs developed organizational structure, capital, and manpower required to run sophisticated criminal schemes

• Some aim to penetrate state/political levels

Blurring of LinesBlurring of Lines


Gangs Illicit Activities and ProceedsGangs Illicit Activities and Proceeds• Homicide• Human Trafficking/Prostitution• Malicious Wounding/Felonious Assault• Auto Theft• Witness Intimidation• Drug Trafficking/Distribution/Smuggling• Human Smuggling• Illegal Immigration• Fraudulent Documents• Firearms Trafficking• White Collar Crime-IPR, Mortgage Fraud, etc.

Money Laundering $$$$$$

COMMON THREAD


Maritime Cocaine RoutesMaritime Cocaine Routes

COMMON THREAD

•Countries with high gang populations•Cartels movement is from Colombia to Mexico to Central America


MexicoMexico

• Gangs are present in 20 of the 32 Mexican States according to Mexican PGR 2010 report

• MS-13, 18th Street, Barrio Azteca, Mexican Mafia, Mexicles and Artistas Asesinos

• Same areas as Mexican DTO’s


US Based Gangs with Ties to MDTO’sUS Based Gangs with Ties to MDTO’s

• AZ New Mexican Mafia• Aryan Brotherhood• Avenues• Bandidos• Barrio Azteca• Barrio Westside• Black Guerilla Family• Bloods• California Mexican Mafia (EME)• Crips• Hardtimes 13• Happytown Pomona• Hells Angels• Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos• La Nuestra Familia• Latin Kings• Lennox 13

• Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)• Mexican Mafia• Mongols• Nortenos• Satins Disciples• Surenos• Tango Blast• Texas Mexican Mafia (Mexikanemi)• Texas Syndicate• Tri-City Bombers• Vagos• Vatos Locos• Westside Nogalitas• Wetback Power• Wonder Boys• 18th Street

Law Enforcement Sensitive

Hand in HandHand in Hand

* as of 1 OCT 2012


Bulk Cash SmugglingBulk Cash Smuggling

Top 10 State Totals2320 seizures$328,044,404

Large Quantities of Bulk Cash


• Partnerships with state, local, federal, and international LE agencies are the linchpin to the success of HSI gang enforcement operations like SURGE.

• Our LE partners provide actionable intelligence which is critical in the targeting of gangs and their membership for enforcement actions.

• HSI Special Agents work with our partners to develop complex federal criminal prosecutions.

Inter Agency CooperationInter Agency Cooperation


• HSI Special Agents exploit intelligence gathered from SURGE operations to pursue complex criminal enterprise investigations.

• HSI Special Agents work with LE partners to secure complex federal criminal prosecutions.

• HSI has solidified a leadership role in the investigation of transnational criminal street gangs such as MS-13 through this approach.

The Evolution of Gang EnforcementThe Evolution of Gang EnforcementRICO and VICAR OffensesRICO and VICAR Offenses


Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)Literal Meaning: Mara: Derived from the Mara bunta ant which is a ant that is ferocious and moves in packs, turning into the slang term for gangLiteral Meaning: Mara: Derived from the Mara bunta ant which is a ant that is ferocious and moves in packs, turning into the slang term for gang

—Salva: refers to El Salvador—Trucha: refers to literally a “trout”, but means in slang clever or sharp, proud.—Salva: refers to El Salvador—Trucha: refers to literally a “trout”, but means in slang clever or sharp, proud.

• MS-13 originated in L.A. in 1980’s.• 1,000’s of El Salvadorans fled civil war, settled in L.A.• Originally, main purpose was to protect El Salvador

immigrants from other, more established gangs in L.A.• MS-13 grew, became more violent, deportations increase

and repatriated MS-13 members to El Salvador


The number of members of MS-13 continues to grow, as does the presence of MS-13 in other countries throughout the world:

Current Status of MS-13Current Status of MS-13

• U.S. (over 10,000 members in more than 40 states)• Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Ecuador, Spain,

Germany, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, and Italy to name a few

• Over 40,000 members worldwide


MS-13 Criminal ActivitiesMS-13 Criminal Activities

• Homicide• Human Trafficking/Prostitution• Malicious Wounding/Felonious Assault• Auto Theft• Witness Intimidation• Drug Trafficking/Distribution/Smuggling• Human Smuggling• Illegal Immigration• Fraudulent Documents• Firearms Trafficking


MS13 Levels Leadership Recognized in El SalvadorMS13 Levels Leadership Recognized in El Salvador

International Leader

Bosses or National Leaders

National Leaders or «Ranfla»

Leaders of Prison Programs

Leaders of Programs (outside of prison)

In Charge of Clique Leaders In Prison

Clique Leaders

Hitment/Assasins Extortion Drugs Soldiers/Members Lookouts Collaborators Surveillance


National Leaders

Principal Bosses

Word and In Charge of Programs

(a) Sleepy

(a) Flaco

Francis Locos

(a) Fox, Travieso

Fulton Locos

(a) Snoopy

Western Locos

(a) Santos

Normandie Locos

(a) Chino ó Loche

Sailor Locos

(a) Pantera

Viroleños Locos

(a) Shuky ó Chaky

Hollywood Locos

(a) Llama o Jacher

Teclas Locos

(a) Diablon

Park View Locos

(a) Payaso

San Cocos Locos

(a) Barney

Normandie Locos

(a) Necio

San Cocos Locos

(a) Rata LLS

Leeward Locos

(a) Tío Sam

Opico Locos

(a) Chino o Tecolote

Western Locos

(a) Midget

Leewards Locos

Efraín Cortez(a) Tigre o Chivo

Park View Locos

(a) Chivo, Chino o Gordo

Centrales Locos

(a) Viejo Pavas

Seven & Eleven Locos

(a) Snyper

Leewards Locos

(a) Snayder

Pasadena Locos

(a) Xisco

Teclas Locos

(a) Colocho

Western Locos

(a) Flen o Humilde Taz

Gangster Poliedros

(a) Viejo Infierno o

Lobo

Delicias Locos

(a) Spider o Araña

Teclas Locos

(a) Moreno o Norteño

Hollywood Locos

(a) Black o Chaky

Quezaltecos Locos

(a) Power ó Chele

Teclas Locos

(a) Slow, lento

Criminal Gangster Locos

(a) Player, Pelón


(a) Laky, Blacky

Park View Locos

(a) Barón, Sponky,

C. A. Leader

Francis Locos

(a) Koky

Leeward Locos

(a) Lasio ó Diablito

Wildman Locos

(a) Cerebro o Quisantos

(a) Diablito, ó

Cuervo


(a) Spider

Zaragoza Locos

(a) Varelita ó Payaso

(a) Greñas

Stoner Locos

(a) Diablito HLS

Hollywood Locos

(a) Ladrón o Croock

Hollywood Locos

(a) Largo

Fulton Locos

(a) Trece , Shayboys o

Ángel

Teclas Locos

International Leaders

Zacatecoluca PrisonGotera PrisonCiudad Barrios PrisonChalatenango PrisonFree


MS-13 Programs MS13

CENTRO

SAN MARTÍN

MODELO

CUSCATLÁN

SAN COCO

SAN MIGUEL SANTA ANA

AHUACHAPÁN

ILOPANGO

LA LIBERTAD LA PAZ

SHULTON

LOS ÁNGELES

EAST COAST CHALCHUAPA PORTEÑOS

SOYAPANGO

CABAÑAS

GUAZAPA

HOLLYWOOD

LEEWARDS

10

7

4

8

FULTON

JIQUILISCO

PARK VIEW

12

ARCE

MORAZANES

PROYECTO

SANTA LUCIA

PINOS

STONER

LA HERMANDAD

NOVENASAN MARCOS

BUENOS CRIMINALES

QUEZALTEPEQUE

GUANACOS LIRO SAICOS

5

GANSTERS

5CEDROS

DELICIAS

DOWN TIME

CRIMINAL LIRO SAICO

UNIONENSES

SANTA ROSA

NEW YORK

HOUSTON (In Formation)

SALVATRUCHOS UNIDOS DE DALLAS

U.S. BASED


Total Arrests: 29,366*

Gang Leaders: 374

Criminal Arrests: 16,505

Administrative Arrests: 12,861

MS-13 Members: 4,163

Violent Criminal History: 11,913

Firearms Seizures: 4,137

Operation Community Shield Overall StatisticsOperation Community Shield Overall Statistics

* as of 1 JAN 2013


The SDN List is posted on OFAC’swebsite and used by the U.S.financial community to screen transactions and accounts.

Available at:

http://www.treasury.gov/ofac/downloads/t11sdn.pdf

Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) ListSpecially Designated Nationals (SDN) List


How Blocking WorksHow Blocking Works

SDN List Banks automatically

download SDN List

All accounts/wire

transfers screened

against SDN List

Transactor/customer identity matched

with SDN

Funds blocked


On July 25, 2011, Executive Order (EO) 13581 was signed by President Obama imposing sanctions against four significant Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and authorizing the Department of the Treasury to target TCOs worldwide.

Designated TCOs

-Brothers’ Circle/Moscow Center -Camorra-Los Zetas -Yakuza-Mara Salvatrucha (added October 11, 2011)

E.O. 13581—TCO’sE.O. 13581—TCO’s


Designation Criteria Under EO 13581Designation Criteria Under EO 13581Designation Criteria (Tier 1)-one or more foreign persons; -engages in an ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity;-involves the jurisdictions of at least two foreign states;-threatens the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.

Designation Criteria (Tier 2)- to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services …-to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly…


Memorandums are drafted by OFAC investigators to document data used to justify designation.

They consist of supporting information from any relevant U.S. or non-U.S. source including:•Press articles;•Business records;•Academic studies;•Law enforcement investigative reports;•Court documents such as indictments and rulings

Information Used to Support DesignationInformation Used to Support Designation


Targeting of MS-13Targeting of MS-13

TCO

Top Tier

Linked Entities/Individuals

Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)

Key Leader

Financial Intermediary Financial Intermediary


• Target the financial and support networks of illicit organizations in coordination with law enforcement

• Interdict financial flows from U.S. MS-13 components• Generate new leads for law enforcement as to who is

moving money on behalf of MS-13 out of the U.S.• Focus international attention on the continued threat and

expanding presence of MS-13

Desired OutcomesDesired Outcomes


NGU Points of ContactNGU Points of Contact