An escalating turf war between feuding Latino gangs on Long Island has prompted Suffolk County authorities to reach out to El Salvadoran police for their expertise on MS-13, the bloodiest of the groups.
The notorious gang has been linked to several recent slayings and violence in both Suffolk and Nassau counties.
With roots in the war-torn Central American nation, MS-13 has made headlines with the stabbing death of a 17-year-old in Hempstead three weeks ago and the brutal slayings of two suspected informants in October.
Long Island police estimate that there have been more than 60 violent incidents involving that gang over the past year, not including nearly a dozen homicides since 2000.
While membership estimates vary wildly from 2,000 to 5,000, the group is now considered the largest – and most violent – on Long Island.
“Let’s not kid ourselves,” said one senior Nassau detective. “It’s getting worse, not better. The majority of these people want to come here and work, to find a better life. But the gangs make that difficult for those who want to be good citizens.”
Suffolk officials are working with Ricardo Menesses, head of the El Salvador National Police.
Because many MS-13 members travel back and forth to El Salvador, the department believes that joining forces would make them more effective.
They exchange information on gang suspects and leaders and assist each other with officer training, officials said.
Part of the plan calls for Suffolk officials to alert El Salvadoran police whenever a gang member is deported.
While the alliance is just getting off the ground, Suffolk Police Chief Richard Dormer said he is confident that it will get results.
Nassau County has so far balked on a similar arrangement out of concern for El Salvador’s reputation for heavy-handedness with gang members.
“La Mara Salvatrucha,” or MS-13, was born in Los Angeles during the 1980s when nearly 1 million El Salvadorans fled the bloodshed of their homeland.
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Angry ants
* MS-13, or “La Mara Salvatrucha,” originated in El Salvador.
* “Mara” is Spanish for an army of ants, “Salvatrucha” means Salvadoran.
* Gang members (like above) are now based in Long Island areas like Hempstead, Farmingville and Westbury.