MS-13 was dealt a heavy blow after authorities arrested scores of MS-13 gang members in New York’s largest bust.
Prosecutors announced the charges at a Friday press conference. Most of the 96 arrests occurred in Suffolk County on Long Island where the Salvadorian gang was attempting to establish an East Coast base, according to ABC 7.
The takedown netted 45 gang members and 19 associates of the ruthless criminal organization. Charges included murder conspiracies, weapons sales, drug trafficking, and gang violence.
The bust was a result of a two-year investigation, prosecutors said. President Trump has made destroying the gang, also known as La Mara Salvatrucha, a priority. The group has been accused of multiple slayings in recent years, including that of Kayla Cuevas.
“They kidnap, they extort, they rape, and they rob. They prey on children, they shouldn’t be here,” Trump said in a visit to Long Island in July 2017. “It’s time for every member of MS-13 to be in fear. Look over their shoulder. Look in their rearview mirror, because ICE and its partners are coming hard, and we’re coming strong.”
MS-13 is not just based in New York, it has also taken root in northern Virginia and in the suburbs around Washington, D.C. Earlier this month, the FBI launched a new tip line that allows people to report information to authorities about MS-13.
