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HARLINGEN
Agents Learn About MS13 Gangs
July 15, 2005, 0-1:12 AM
Reported by April Norris

Mexico's most violent and powerful gang is infiltrating the Valley. In some cases setting up in your neighborhood causing murders, rapes and leading human smuggling rings.

U.S. Border Patrol agents say they're taking action to win the war against gang violence. They're concerned MS 13's are recruiting young teenagers.

That's one reason why the Border Patrol held a seminar Thursday. Because it deals with Homeland Security, the media was not allowed inside.

But, they say the McAllen sector has 38 gang members in custody, who will eventually be deported, that number doesn't represent how many are actually living here.

Mara Salvatrucha's are known as the most dangerous gang around. Border agents say they started in California during the early 90's, then recruited members in their home countries of El Salvador and Honduras.

Now, agents say there are cells almost everywhere. Even the government is warning the Mara Salvatrucha's could possibly have ties with Al Qaeda.

Assistant Chief Jorge Garza, who oversees the border patrol intelligence program, says the MS 13 gang is a threat to homeland security.

"They're involved in murders, rape, smuggling of people and contraband and they'll stop at nothing to get their mission accomplished."

Thursday afternoon, intelligence agents teamed up with other law enforcement officers to get insight into this deadly gang influencing in the Valley.

"There's no doubt about it they are trying to recruit people into their gang and the younger the better because they're impressionable and they can mold them into the way they want to mold them and get a loyal gang member."

If you just walk by Haine Drive in Harlingen, you'll see one of their signs, the numbers 13 spray painted over many fences.

Gang members are identified by their tattoos, they normally have MS and the number 13 inked all over their skin.

Garza says, "If you see that kind of spray painting, if you see that kind of marking MS or 13 or other symbols like that, contact you local agency, talk to your police department talk to your sheriff's office."

Border agents also say they have caught Mara Salvatrucha's crossing illegal immigrants into the U.S. from Mexico.

The reason, it's a huge money maker. Agents say an MS 13 member can make about thirty thousand dollars crossing one Chinese immigrant in this country.