Publication

This article examines the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), a street gang in the US with the potential to become a transnational criminal network stretching from Central America to US suburban neighborhoods. It assesses horizontal integration, the increased regular communication between smaller groups, within the MS-13. The authors then look at vertical integration, connections between US-based cliques and gang members in Central America, which cement the transnational nature of the MS-13. They conclude by examining US responses to this development.