Mara Salvatrucha a.k.a MS, Mara, and MS-13 is a criminal gang that began to operate in Los Angeles in the 1980s. The MS has spread across the United States and Central America with startling speed, boasting tens of thousands of members. They deal ruthlessly with competing gangs and any members who display disloyalty, often leaving a trail of dismembered corpses in their wake. They are poised to surpass the Mafia as the country’s most organized criminal network. And by operating within the insular Central American immigrant communities, the Mara Salvatrucha has been able to easily elude law enforcement agencies. Many Mara Salvatrucha members cover themselves in tatoos. Common markings include
