Free Republic

Reputed gang members have been disappearing from the streets of South Florida. Four members of the Latin Kings in Broward, gone. The leader of a Mara Salvatrucha-13 crew in Lake Worth, nowhere to be seen. Members of Los Vatos Locos and 18th Street Gang, vanquished from the streets of Miami. On Friday, it was revealed why. LocalLinks During the past few weeks, authorities have rounded up 22 suspected gang members in South Florida as part of a national sweep that netted 375 gang members in 23 states. The initiative is part of Operation Community Shield, an anti-gang program aimed at...

WASHINGTON – Some 103 suspected members of a violent criminal street gang that has been linked to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups have been arrested in seven U.S. cities, the government announced today. The target of the massive sting operation was Mara Salvatruchas gang – also known as MS-13 – whose members have been known to behead victims and attack with grenades and machetes. The raids, which began in January, are part of the first nationwide crackdown on the Central America-based gang that boasts members throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. The group specializes in cross-border drug-dealing, arms-running and...