Turning Up the Heat on MS-13

Law Enforcement's Aggressive Battle with Illegal Alien Gang by Jim Kouri, CPP A total of 15 foreign nationals with suspected ties to the notorious and violent Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) street gang were arrested in Los Angeles over the past three days in a coordinated operation involving agents with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the California Department of Justice Criminal Intelligence Bureau, and the San Francisco County Adult Probation Department. The majority of the men arrested had criminal histories, including convictions for narcotics distribution and assault. Seven men admitted to being members of the 20th Street Mara Salvatrucha street gang, and possessed tattoos illustrating their gang affiliations. Six men admitted being members of the MS-affiliated “Sur 13 Surenos,” also known as the 19th Street Surenos, and possessed the identifying tattoos. Both gangs share an area of operations in and around Mission Street between 19th and 20th Streets. Two men are suspected members of a rival street gang called the Northern Ryders also known as the Nortenos. The Northern Ryders are known to engage in criminal activity in other areas in and around the Mission District. Those taken into custody were nationals of El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. Several of those arrested have been previously deported. One of the targets is expected to be federally prosecuted for reentering the United States after deportation. In addition to the arrests, agents executed searches involving 24 suspected gang members who were out on probation, leading to the seizure of a handgun and ammunition. “Street gangs are a breeding ground for crime,” said Charles DeMore, San Francisco special agent-in-charge for ICE investigations. “ICE is committed to using its broad immigration and customs authorities – both criminal and administrative – against gang members. We are working closely with our law enforcement partners to break up these deeply entrenched organizations that are a dangerous threat to the public safety of our communities.” In San Francisco, ICE’s anti-gang enforcement effort is led by a team of investigators who locate foreign national gang members who are subject to deportation based on their criminal convictions. In January 2005, ICE launched Operation Community Shield, a national law enforcement anti-gang initiative that brings all of ICE’s law enforcement powers to bear in the fight against the MS-13. Last month, ICE announced the arrest of 103 MS-13 gang members on a range of criminal and/or administrative charges as part of that effort. BOSTON ARRESTS Two members of the vicious street gang “Mara Salvatrucha” (MS-13) – both with violent criminal records of their own -- were arrested in Boston by agents of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE agents arrested Dinora Chavarria, 20, and Oscar Aviles, 20, both of whom are affiliated with the Boston MS-13 cell. Both have past convictions for violent crimes, including assault and battery and assault with a dangerous weapon. Chavarria was previously removed by ICE to her native Honduras, but she subsequently reentered the United States illegally. She is now in ICE custody awaiting deportation to Honduras. Aviles is also in ICE custody facing deportation proceedings based upon his criminal conviction for assault with a dangerous weapon. The two arrests are the latest under “Operation Community Shield,” an ICE anti-gang initiative launched in March to target members of the MS-13 gang in six cities nationwide. To date, ICE agents, working with their federal, state and local counterparts, have arrested more than 135 MS-13 gang members nationwide. Locally, ICE has partnered with the North Shore Gang Intelligence Unit, run by the Boston Police, the Boston Police Gang Unit, the Lynn Gang Unit and the Somerville Gang Unit. The law enforcement actions to date have been conducted in coordination with law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels. ICE will also be working through its 54 Attache offices overseas to cooperate with foreign governments that are also experiencing gang problems, particularly those in Central America. Sources: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. He writes for many police and crime magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer, Campus Law Enforcement Journal, and others. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com, Booksamillion.com, and can be ordered at local bookstores.