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Similarities Between MS-13 And 18th Street Gang Behavior

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Most newspaper readers find it difficult to differentiate Mara Salvatrucha from 18th Street gang behavior. Although they may seem different when it comes to philosophy, they certainly have similarities between each other. MS-13 and M-18 are two Latino street gangs structured to run as a business.
The influence of illegal immigrant’s population caused a rise in gang activity. Both MS-13 and 18th Street gang were born in the streets of Los Angeles, California in the 1980s. Salvadoran gang members also known as MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) and Mexican gang members also known as 18th Street (Barrio 18, Mara 18) a subdivision of the Clanton 14 gang which is the oldest Hispanic gang in California. The word "mara" is derived from the marabuntas ants in allusion to how to operate the organization the same way the ant expanded and destroyed everything to find the path. They share the ambition to rapidly expand their organization to other states of the U.S., also in El Salvador, Honduras, Central America and Canada. One similarity is a large percentage of their members are not US citizens that lead to deportation of high numbers of them. Also, they use similar criminal operations through kidnaping, drug trafficking, money laundering, prostitution rings, and contract killings. …show more content…

Another way to identify them is their extensively tattooed members with symbolism. Facial tattoos are a common thing in both gangs. Alike each tattooed tear corresponds to a crime. Cobweb tattoos are a symbol of pride for both groups, meaning the member has been in jail. MS-13 members are not allowed to use the color green, white and red as a clear allusion of its hatred towards Mexicans. They are also prohibited to say Mexico, and instead "mexicaca". 18th Street gang were also not allowed to use a red bandanna or graffiti in

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