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Understanding the East Coast Mexican Gang Phenomenon

ISSUE No. 1, Vol. 1

May 26, 2010

Tools of the (crime) Trade:Booby Traps
By Sgt. Lou Savelli, NYPD

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It was 9:30 PM, in the Flatbush neighborhood situated in the middle of New York City���s largest borough, Brooklyn. Our undercover officer just purchased five black-topped vials of crack cocaine for $50.00 from a peep-hole spot.�� The crack epidemic was in full swing. The crack den was an old video arcade taken over by the Spangler Posse, a violent Jamaican gang heavily involved in the crack trade.�� After the UC was safely away from the set, we began our raid.�� Sergeant Larry Festa, Detective Paul Rossi, and I, walked quickly to the front door while the other field teams covered the rear.�� Detective Rossi, swinging a heavy-duty sledgehammer, struck the door on the lock, over and over, until the thick metal door swung open.�� Once inside, we ran abruptly into a darkened narrow lobby and were met by another metal door five feet away.�� Detective Rossi quickly shouted ���Stand Back!���, and fiercely struck the door in the same fashion as the exterior door.�� The door swung open within seconds.�� We started looking for anyone who might be the dealer and for anyone, for that matter, moving in the shadows of the poorly-lit rooms. The drug dealer, according to the UC, was only a voice and a set of eyes on the other side of the exterior door peep hole.��

Floor ���Booby Trap��� with tiles intact appears normal and safe
After entering the inner sanctum of the crack den, we heard sounds in the rear of the old arcade next to a Pac-Man machine.�� Shining our flashlights and pointing our revolvers, which we were only authorized to carry at the time, I saw a person climbing downward into an apparent trap door.�� He was a medium build male with long dreadlocks.�� I quickly shouted ���Police Don���t Move!����� I ran toward the trap door as it closed.�� Within a few feet of the trap door, I felt my feet suddenly become strangely lighter.�� This feeling lasted only for a fleeting moment, like I was walking on air, until I realized I was falling through the floor to the basement below.�� Luckily, depending on how you want to look at it, I dropped straight down to a beam supporting a series of false floor tiles and abruptly and fiercely landed on top of the beam which was between my legs. The pain in my groin, overshadowed the pain in my lower back, but both were overshadowed by the anger I felt, now, at the dreadlocked crack pusher.�� I pulled my twisted pain-filled body from the beam and looked downward to see how far the floor below was from the ceiling which I now dangled.�� Still very angry and determined to catch the Dread, I contemplated jumping 10 feet to the ground but I was soon interrupted when the beam supporting me, and the floor around me, collapsed.�� I crashed to the cold concrete basement floor with debris falling around and on top of me.�� I heard the Sergeant���s voice, shouting ���Don���t Move!�� We���ll get you help!�������

False ���Booby Trap��� Floor under construction

Even angrier, after my fall, I disregarded the sergeant���s orders and stood up.�� With pieces of wood and a layer of dust in my hair, I picked up my revolver and flashlight from the floor.�� I stood up and started to walk toward the next room where I heard noises and assumed the pusher was located trying to escape.�� I peeked around the doorway leading to the next room.�� I shined my extra-bright flashlight toward the noise and captured the Dread like a deer in a car���s headlights.�� I pointed my gun in his direction and shouted, out of anger and pain, ���I am going to blow your #$%&?@ head off!���, in a high-pitched voice, probably from the pain in my groin, that momentarily even frightened me.
The dreadlocked pusher stopped dead in his tracks apparently opening another trap door on a wall, we learned later, leading to an adjacent building.�� ���Don���t shoot, Mon!��� he screamed in a heavy Jamaican accent.�� By this time, Sergeant Festa and Detective Rossi arrived to my side in the basement and knocked the pusher, who was obviously still thinking about escaping, to the ground and placed him into handcuffs behind his back.�� Just then, I collapsed to my knees from the pain and the weakness in my legs.�� I spent that night in the hospital and several weeks of x-rays, MRIs and physical therapy. As a result, I sustained two severely herniated discs in my lower back, a bruised knee and strained groin (you figure it out). To this date, sixteen years later, as a result of drug dealer���s booby trapped floor, I suffer low back pain and sciatica, (pain emanating from the lumbar region of the low back into the legs) daily.����
Booby trapped floors, like the one I experienced, are becoming more common.�� These floors are purposely constructed to give an appearance of normal flooring so the approaching Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) will not hesitate to walk on it.�� Once the LEOs weight is placed on the false flooring, he/she will fall with the collapsing floor beneath his/her feet. With many booby trapped floors, there is an additional danger waiting below.�� These dangers can range from spikes to nail boards or from a tub of acid to attack dogs.�� I consider myself lucky that the booby trapped floor I encountered was not equipped with another dangerous trap waiting below.����
Several times over the past 17 years of my 23 year law enforcement career, I have experienced booby traps, elaborate fortification systems, and escape devices. It is an important aspect of law enforcement that is often overlooked and more often extremely dangerous. Every law enforcement officer working the streets,�� prisons and jails, or a probation and parole beat must carefully consider the potential presence of booby traps during their daily duties.�� Criminals are becoming savvier and more ruthless while the courts are becoming more lenient.�� These criminals have nothing to lose!�� Booby traps and other devices to aid escape will become more prevalent and more potentially lethal.��
Be careful out there!

UNDERSTANDING THE EAST COAST MEXICAN GANG PHENOMENON

by Lou Savelli

Mexican gangs have been forming in the United States for as long as we have had Mexican immigrants.�� On the East Coast, however, Mexican gangs are virtually a recent phenomenon. In the past several years, East Coast cities have experienced an increase in the creation of gangs consisting of Mexican Nationals. These gangs are largely�� Border Brothers gangs.�� In Spanish, Border Brothers are called ���Hermanos de la Frontera.��� Border Brothers are usually illegal immigrants from the same region in Mexico or those who have illegally entered the United States at the same time.�� These Border Brothers have formed together for social functions and protection.�� After a short time, they operate like any other gangs.

Many of these Mexican gangs forming on the East Coast maintain strong ties to Mexico and Mexican traditions as well as their relatives across the United States. The favorite holiday for celebration among Mexican immigrants in the United States is Cinco De Mayo, the Fifth of May, which is the observance of the Battle of Puebla.�� The Battle of Puebla, which was fought on May 5th 1862, was a battle of freedom against the French Army���s attempt to takeover the town.�� A Mexican Army consisting of Mexican soldiers and local citizens armed with farm tools, which totaled two - thousand
strong,�� defeated an attack by six thousand French Soldiers. Other important dates in the Mexican culture is Mexican Independence Day, September
16th and Revolution Day, November 20th.�� Observance���� of�� these�� holidays by Mexican American citizens should not be marred by the presence of gangsters. It is important for law enforcement officers to monitor such celebrations for the purpose of insuring the safety of those in attendance.����

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Many believe NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), enacted in 1993, which promised an increase in national employment rate of Mexico, is partly the blame for the influx of illegal Mexican immigrants into the United States. Others feel the doubling of the unemployment rate during 1993 to 1995 and the drop in hourly wages to the lowest in Mexico since 1980, which resulted in the Peso Crisis, greatly contributed to the illegal exodus from Mexico during these years.

(Gang members throwing TVS sign at an amusement park)

Mexican gangs forming on the East Coast during the mid and late 1990���s have undergone a metamorphosis from unsophisticated loose knit social cliques to violent street gangs with strengthening alliances.�� During this time, Mexican street gangs found themselves at odds with many rival gangs of different ethnic backgrounds as well as other Mexican���� ���Border Brother���

As a result, an alliance similar to the People/Folk alliance in the Midwest, was formed.�� The two ���umbrella��� nations created were La Gran Raza ( The Great Race or Nation) and La Gran Familia (The Great Family).�� In the following chart, this alliance is illustrated.�� Keep in mind that all Mexican street gangs are not members of this alliance and this alliance may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.

Sources state that each nation is also affiliated with a powerful Mexican Prison Gang.�� La Gran Raza is alleged to be affiliated with La Eme (The Mexican Mafia) and La Gran Familia is alleged to be affiliated to Nuestra Familia.

exican Street gangs on the East Coast have taken on similar traits to other street gangs. Initially, these gangs were social in nature and seldom interacted with other groups unless they were involved in heavy drinking binges. Their structure was loose-knit. Today these gangs are more like their American counterparts. Leadership roles are usually assumed by the most violent member of the gang. This leader assigns the second in command and issues orders to the soldiers. He will be called Mero Mero which means Chief or Godfather. These gangs, which started with victimization of their own people and other Mexican gangs, have slowly developed, in some cases, into drug dealing gangs.�� During a debriefing, a member of Chidos Picudos detailed the initiation rite of his gang. Translation: ���..they take you to a street corner, usually near a subway or bus stop.�� They give you a gun and tell you to stick-up a person for their money.�� After the stick-up, we meet at a park or schoolyard. ���we���ll buy a couple of�� forties with the cash and drink until we get so messed up that we start fighting with anyone around���!���

exican street gangs, until recently,�� have been careful to claim turf in a neighborhood or at a local hangout.�� Their status, usually, as illlegal aliens made them cautious to settle into one area for too long.�� In the past few years,�� with their continued delving into the drug trade, they have been visibly claiming turf and regularly marking their���� territory.���� Turf is not just a barrio anymore, it���s a place of business for these gangsters to sell drugs, extort money from local businesses and commit robberies on passersby.�� Their marking of turf through straightforward graffiti is evidence of their bold new style of gang banging.

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(Vagos mark their turf at E.116th street in NY City)

aybe their graffiti is less symbolic than other gangs but their tattoos are highly symbolic in nature.�� Common to these gangsters is a picture of a pair of Praying Hands.�� These praying hands signify praying to God for forgiveness.��

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The Our Lady of Guadalupe icon is another favorite tattoo worn by gang members.�� The Cholo (Gangster) symbol which signifies the struggle for acceptance in America during the 1940���s, is frequently tattooed on the bodies of Mexican Gang members. ���Choloization��� is the transition an individual makes away from the surrounding culture into a sub-culture.�� This is viewed by Mexican and Mexican American youth as their new socialization into a gang.�� During the�� early 20th Century Mexican American youth donned ���Zoot Suits��� as an expression of their individuality. The subculture of the Zoot-Suiters was blamed for the Zoot Suit Riots in 1943 in which an altercation between sailors and Zoot Suiters resulted in a ten day riot in Los Angeles, California.�� It is still unclear, today, which group was the real blame for the 1943 melee���.

These tattoos are extremely meaningful to the Mexican gang banger.�� Phrases tattooed on their bodies like Mi Vida Loca (My Crazy Life) and Perdoname Mi Madre (Forgive Me Mother) is also symbolic of their awareness of their gangster life and how it is unaccepted by their family and others. These words or phrases will be tattooed in Old English style of printing.

any Mexican Gangsters will tattoo the web of their hands with drawings symbolic of their specialty within the gang.�� These hand tattoos are common among other Latino gangs present throughout North America. In some hardcore cases, these symbols will be burned into the hand.

Mexican gang turf during the middle 1990���s on the East Coast was mostly temporary or non-existent.�� These gangs, which consisted of illegal aliens, were hesitant to remain in one neighborhood for any significant length of time. They were very nomadic and fled to neighborhoods miles away at the slightest hint of pressure from the authorities.���� They were careful to write graffiti and tags inside of buildings rather than out.�� As the late 1990���s rolled in, Mexican gangs were claiming turf and hanging out in large groups without worry.�� Graffiti, marking their turf, became bold and superfluous.�� Large graffiti tags with the gangs name and membership roll call were now commonplace.�� Common turf for these gangs were neighborhoods with small apartments near restaurants and stores where they were employed. Today, these gang members will travel miles to work and stand on busy street corners in ���shape-up��� groups to obtain a days work from contactors seeking cheap labor.��

aking money is another use for the gang���s turf.�� Street corner drug sales are becoming more popular with the Mexican gangs.�� As drug use increased among gang members and other Mexicans, the demand brought the gangs into the new millennium.�� Gangs claiming turf in highly traveled areas of some cities are gaining quite a clientele of drug customers and raking in profits.�� Many of these customers are from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.����

ost Mexican gangs prefer the colors of the Mexican flag as their gang���s representative colors.�� The colors of the Mexican flag are Green, White and Red.�� There are, however, several gangs which�� have�� adopted other colors.

On the East Coast, many Mexican gangs have adopted beads with their representative colors.�� They were influenced by other Hispanic gangs like

the Latin Kings, La Familia and Netas which were using beaded necklaces since the 1980���s.�� Beads, bandanas and color-coordinated clothing are now standard for Mexican gangs.�� When checking for a gang���s colors or markings, look under a gangster���s hat, on the rear of a belt, inside a knapsack or
inside a pant���s pocket.�� Mexican gang members are used to hiding their affiliation from the larger, more violent gangs like the Bloods and Latin Kings. And because of the recent violence connected to Mexican gangs, they will hide their affiliation from the Police.

ost violence involving Mexican gangs involves other Mexican Gangs and their own countrymen but external gang violence, involving Mexican gang members is rapidly increasing.�� Incidents of Mexican gang violence will occur after a disrespectful act (dis���) by a rival gang member precipitated from a shout out at a nightclub, party or celebration.�� When rival gangs are present at such functions, it doesn���t require much of an incident to start an altercation.

Other acts of violence can occur when there is no other rival gang in sight but an opportunity to show their machismo. These acts often occur during Baptism celebrations, weddings, sweet sixteen parties and other family gatherings crashed by Mexican gangsters who are friends with the DJ or one of the attendees. Mexican gangsters will crash the party drunk and take any opportunity as a chance to show his worth and gain respect in the eyes of his vatos (homies). Other forms of disrespect among Mexican gangs have been shown in graffiti cross-outs, written derogatory statements or aggressive paintings, drawings and murals.�� One such derogatory drawing was seized from a member of the Chicano Nation (CN)�� who shows himself tearing off the head of the leader of their rival gang, La Escuadron (SDN).�� Also, take notice to the statement in the next photo ���Carnalitos hasta la muerta!��� This means brothers until death.

exican gangs have their own form of spoken and written language that is evident in their graffiti and conversation.�� Some of words, phrases, terms, gang name translations or numbers to be aware of:

13 = Depicts the letter M; refers to southern California
14 = depicts the letter N; refers to�� northern California
Barrio = (Varrio) Neighborhood
Cacos = Local Thieves
Carcel = Jail
Carnal (es) = Brother (s)
Chaca = Indian Warrior
Chicano = Mexican American
Chola = Female gangster
Cholo = Gangster
Cuetes = Gun, explosive, firecracker
Salto; En salto = Jump in (initiation)
Ese = ���Hey���;��� What���s up?���
Ese���s = Chicanos
Guerrero = Warrior
Hasta La Muerte! = Until death!
Hueros = Whites; Anglos (Caucasions)
Hura = Police
Jefe = Boss
Jura = Police
La Eme = Mexican Mafia
La Mugre = Filthy ones
Maldito = Wicked One
MVL = Mi Vida Loca
NF or Ene Efe = Nuestra Familia
Norteno = Someone from Northern California
Paca = Gang beating
Pachuco(a) = Gangster; Cholo
Pedo = Trouble
Pitufos = Smurfs
Placa = Tag or nickname
Playero = Beachgoer
PMV = Por Mi Vida
Por Mi Vida = For my life
Primo = Cousin
Puto Marks = Cross outs (graffiti)
Rata = Rat: Snitch
Raza = Race
Sombras = Shadows
Sureno = Someone from Southern California
Travieso = Misfit
Vago = Vagrant
Vato = Homie��
VL = Vato Loco
XIII = 13
XIV = 14
XVIII = 18
Yerba = Marijuana

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