prison gang is a term used to refer to any kind of gang activity in prisons and correctional facilities. Most prison gangs in the US are created to protect their members. As a rule, these gangs are created on a racial or ethnic basis. Most often, prison gangs are involved in the delivery and sale of drugs, tobacco and alcohol to the prison. In addition, many prison gangs are involved in organizing prostitution, various assaults, kidnappings and murders. Prison gangs also attack other inmates, forcing the latter to give them food and money. In addition, prison gangs have significant influence in the wild, much Moreover what you can imagine.

Since the beginning of the War on Drugs in the 80s, when the population of prisons, as well as the profits from the drug trade, have increased significantly, large gangs have deliberately begun to work on using their influence behind bars to control and profit from the drug trade on the streets. This is made logically possible by the fact that drug dealers are much more likely to end up in prison; their friends and family members may also be there. Collaboration between drug dealers and other criminals can ensure that the former are not subjected to incarcerated violence. Released gang members are required to follow orders from within, and failure to do so could cost them their lives if they returned to prison even once. The war on drugs led to the fact that behind bars began a large number of drug addicts who allowed gangs to control prisons by controlling the sale of drugs.

Notable prison gangs

Aryan brotherhood- A white prison gang that appeared in San Quentin Prison in 1964. Perhaps due to its ideology, as well as the need for an active presence among the numerous groups of blacks and Hispanics, AB has a reputation as the most violent and merciless of the gangs. In the 1990s, partly because of its reputation, AB began to be heavily persecuted by state and federal authorities. Many of the members of the AB were transferred to a super-high-security prison on federal charges.

The Aryan Brotherhood has many names: "AB", "Brand", "Head", "Alice Baker", "1-2". The most common is Brand. The name is associated with the love of members of the fraternity for westerns. A brand was a brand used to brand cattle in the Wild West.

Founded in 1964 at San Quentin Prison. Initially, she acted only in prisons, gradually began to participate in the criminal business at large. Only whites can be members of the group. Waging wars with African Americans, Hispanics and Asians. Maintains contact with Italian mafia. Allied with other white prison gangs such as the Nazi Lowriders, Public Enemy No.1 and European Kindred, as well as with the Mexican Mafia (La Eme). The FBI estimates that there are about 15,000 members of the group. Group members make up about 1% of all prisoners, but commit 26% of crimes. Loud trial over the leaders of the AB in 2002, which was presented as a rout of the group, however, ended with the fact that the leaders of the group, Barry Mills and Tyler Bingham, accused of 32 murders, are still alive.

Nazi rebels- A new white prison gang that arose after many of the members of the Aryan Brotherhood were transferred to the Pelican Bay prison or to federal prisons. Rebels are known for having a majority of their members from Southern California's Antelope Valley, and for accepting light-skinned or Euro-Hispanic people.

The history of the gang can be traced back to the late 70s as a supplier of privates for the Aryan Brotherhood, but law enforcement they became seriously interested in it only in the early 90s, when the Aryan Brotherhood, having suffered a defeat from the Californian authorities, went into the shadows, giving space for the activities of its “subsidiary”. The difference between the NB and other white gangs was expressed primarily in cruelty rather than in reactionary. They are numerous and violent, with the main areas of influence being: Oildale, Backesfield, Inland Empire, North Long Beach, Paramount, Costa Massa, Lancaster, Norwalk, Pasadena, Burbank and Glendale, California. The Nazi name does not refer to the beliefs of anti-Semitism, but rather to the racist nature of the gang, while the term "rebels" is borrowed from Latin American gangs. The gang quickly ceased to be just "meat" for the Brotherhood and began to grow rapidly as an independent unit. Unlike other white racist gangs, it is highly organized and develops ties to other West Coast white gangs, including the Ku Klux Klan. Many paroled gang members move east, spreading the organization's influence.

mexican mafia. "Eme" is the letter M in Spanish, also the 13th letter of the alphabet. The Mexican mafia is mostly Mexican-American, but there are also some white members. mexican mafia and The Aryan Brotherhood are allies and work together to control prostitution, drug trafficking, arms trafficking and contract killings. Created in the 50s by Mexicans in southern California prisons, LaEme is traditionally made up of US-born or US-raised Mexicans from their southern part of the state (Sureños). In the 70s and 80s, LaEme successfully imposed their control on the streets.

The Mexican mafia was created in the late 50s by members of a Mexican street gang incarcerated at Dewell Prison, located in Trici, California. The founders of the gang were thirteen Mexican-Americans from East Los Angeles, several of whom were members of the Marawil gang. They called themselves Mexicanemi, which is translated from the Nahuatl language as "one who walks with God in his heart." The founder of the gangs was Luis "Juero Buffalo" Flores, formerly a member of the Hawaiian Garden Gang.

Although the Mexican Mafia was created in part to show respect for the Maya and Aztec civilizations, its main goal was the protection of its members from other prisoners, as well as from the guards. Dewell Prison was considered as the "university" of prisoners, where they could develop their skills in fighting, drug dealing and creating weapons.

Initially, Luis Flores set out to recruit the most brutal bandits in order to create a fearsome organization capable of seizing control of the prison's black market. In response to the escalating violence, the Department of Prisons moved some members of the Mexican Mafia to other prisons, including San Quentin. This move by the authorities inadvertently helped the Mexican Mafia to recruit new members in prisons and institutions for juvenile delinquents.

Nuestra Familia- "Our Family," "N" is the 14th letter of the alphabet and is used interchangeably with the Roman "XIV", representing another Hispanic gang fighting LaEme, and consisting mainly of prisoners from Northern California and rural areas state.

Nuestra Familia appeared either in Folsom, California or Soledad, California in 1968. In the late 60s, Latinos began to divide into two warring groups, Our Family and the Mexican Mafia, formed in 1957, according to the territorial criterion (the border between north and south became the town of Delano, California). Our Family became an opponent of the Hispanics of the south of the state, who make up the Mexican mafia - LaEme. And although the purpose of the creation of LaEme was to protect Mexicans in prisons, at the same time, outright hostility of LaEme members to Hispanics from rural areas of the north of the state was felt. The current situation, as well as the incident with the theft of a pair of shoes from Norteños by a member of LaEme, led to the very prolonged war gangs in California prisons.

Texas Syndicate“Mainly operating in Texas, the gang is all-Hispanic and completely excludes white inmate membership. The Texas syndicate, more than LaEme and Nuestra Familia, is associated with Mexican immigrant prisoners such as the Border Brothers, while LaEme and Familia are made up of only US-born or raised Mexicans.

The development of the Texas Syndicate was initiated by self-defense against hostile prison gangs. After solving the problem of their own self-defense, the newly formed gang switched to drug trafficking, extortion, prostitution, providing protection, gambling and contract killings. Gang members released to freedom must send 10% of their profits to the prison.

The CU has a near-military structure, headed by a president and vice president who are elected by popular vote. Each prison group is controlled by a chairman, followed by a vice-chairman, a captain, a lieutenant, a sergeant, and numerous soldiers.

Most African-American prison gangs retain their street names and connections. Most often this refers to groups (sets) of Rollin (named after the streets, that is, 30s, 40s, etc.) and associate themselves with both the Bloods and the Crips. Black guerrilla family is an exception, it is a politically oriented group that occupies an important position in the prison system.

Criminal activity drug dealing, murder, arms dealing, racketeering, extortion, gambling, witness intimidation.

mexican mafia, also known as La Eme(Russian La Aime) is a Mexican criminal organization, one of the oldest and most powerful prison gangs in the United States.

Story

The Mexican mafia was created in the late 50s by members of a Mexican street gang incarcerated at the Dewell Prison, located in Trici, California. The founders of the gang were thirteen Mexican-Americans from East Los Angeles, several of whom were members of the Marawil gang. They called themselves Mexicanemi, which is translated from the Nahuatl language as "one who walks with God in his heart." The founder of the gangs was Luis "Juero Buffalo" Flores, formerly a member of the Hawaiian Garden Gang.

Although the Mexican Mafia was partly created to show respect to the Mayan and Aztec civilizations, its main goal was to protect its members from other prisoners, as well as from guards. Dewell Prison was considered the "university" of prisoners, where they could develop their skills in fighting, drug dealing and weapons creation.

Initially, Luis Flores began to recruit the most brutal bandits in order to create a fearsome organization capable of seizing control of the prison's black market. In response to the escalating violence, the Department of Prisons moved some members of the Mexican Mafia to other prisons, including San Quentin. This move by the authorities inadvertently helped the Mexican Mafia recruit new members in prisons and institutions for juvenile delinquents.

Criminal activity

The Mexican Mafia is an organization dedicated to extortion, drug trafficking and murder, both inside and outside prisons. According to the FBI, the Mexican Mafia often hire members of the Aryan Brotherhood (a white Nazi group) to carry out contract killings. LaEme and the Aryan Brotherhood are common enemies of the African-American gang Black Guerrilla Family. The first murder in the wild was entirely by the Mexican Mafia in Los Angeles in 1971. The person responsible for the murder was white Marawil gang member Joe "Pegleg" Morgan. Morgan was widely respected in the Mexican mafia circle and later became one of its leaders. His ties to Mexican cocaine and heroin purveyors helped launch the Mexican Mafia. widespread drugs in California. In the 70s, under the leadership of Rudy Cadena, the gang seized control of some social groups and managed, with their participation, to steal money intended to finance programs to combat alcohol and drugs. In 1995, federal authorities convicted 22 members of the Mexican Mafia on charges of the RICO Act (the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), which included extortion, murder, and kidnapping. One of those arrested, Benjamin "Topo" Peters, was allegedly one of the leaders of the organization and was embroiled in a power struggle with Reuben "Tupi" Hernandez. In 2006, members of the Mexican mafia were charged under 36 articles. The arrests were based on alleged acts of violence, drug trafficking, and extortion against smaller Hispanic street gangs. According to federal prosecution, the Mexican mafia has strong influence in both state and federal prisons. Members and supporters of the gang remain extremely loyal to the organization both in and out of prison, especially in southern California cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego. The gang is gaining influence over the gangs of southern California under the threat of violence against their members if they ever go to jail. Gangs and drug dealers who refuse to pay the Mexican Mafia for protection are often attacked and threatened with death. High-ranking members of LaEme, locked in their cells for 23 hours a day, still manage to transmit orders, either by tapping codes through drainpipes or through secret letters.

Membership

Although the Mexican mafia is structured criminal community appears to be run by a single leader. About 150 members of the organization have the power to order assassinations, and at least 1,000 carry out their orders. Total There are about 30,000 members of LaEme in the USA. Model built Sicilian mafia, The Mexican mafia has a paramilitary structure, including the ranks of generals, captains, lieutenants and sergeants. Below the sergeants are soldiers, who are often referred to as "carnales" ("meat").

Members of the Mexican mafia must show loyalty to the gang, that is, participate in its tests, often committing robberies and murders. The penalty for refusing or failing to follow orders is often death. According to the gang rules, gang members can also be killed or punished for committing the following four offenses: snitching, sodomy, cowardice, and disrespect for other gang members. According to the policy of the Mexican Mafia, a member cannot be killed without the approval of three of its members, however, the killing of non-members does not require formal approval.

In the 1960s at San Quentin Prison, Luis Flores and Rudy "Cheyenne" Cadena established a blood oath to join the Mexican Mafia. Prior to the introduction of the blood oath rule, members of the Mexican Mafia were allowed to rejoin street gangs after being released from prison. The new oath clearly stated that the only way out of the gang was death. Flores and Cadena also installed whole line rules. These included: a new member must be proposed by an old member; unanimous consent of all members to the entry of a newcomer (no longer valid); preference for the gang over the family; denial of the existence of the Mexican mafia when dealing with representatives of the law and non-members; forget about the street conflicts that existed before the conclusion. Killing a gang member for breaking the rules must be done by the gang member who suggested it.

Along with California (the main base of activity), the Mexican mafia is also present in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico.

Allies and Enemies

The main ally of the Mexican mafia is the Aryan Brotherhood. The main enemy of the Mexican mafia are the Nuestra Familia and the Black guerrilla family.

Symbols

The image of a black hand is the main symbol of the Mexican mafia. One of the gang symbols often used in tattoos is the national symbol of Mexico (an eagle and a snake) over a burning circle above crossed knives. Members of the Mexican Mafia use the number 13 as the brigade's identification, as the "M" for the name La eMe is the thirteenth in English alphabet. Mexican mafiosi also wear black clothing.

see also

Notes

1. Modern Prison Gangs (indefinite) . history.com. Retrieved March 22, 2008. Archived from the original on March 27, 2012.

Despite the relentless use of mafia images by Hollywood that have long become cliches, there are still illegal gangs in the world that control industry, engage in smuggling, cybercrime, and even shape the global economy of countries.

So where are they located and which ones are the most famous in the world?

Yakuza

This is not a myth, they exist and, by the way, were among the first to make significant efforts to help after the tsunami in Japan in 2011. The traditional areas of interest of the yakuza are underground gambling, prostitution, drug trafficking, arms and ammunition trafficking, racketeering, the production or sale of counterfeit products, car theft and smuggling. More sophisticated gangsters trade in financial fraud. Group members are different beautiful tattoos which are usually hidden under clothing.

Mungiki

This is one of the most aggressive sects in Kenya, which arose in 1985 in the settlements of the Kikuyu people in the central part of the country. The Kikuyu gathered their own militia in order to protect the Masai lands from government militants who wanted to crush the resistance of the recalcitrant tribe. The sect, in essence, was a street gang. Later, large detachments were formed in Nairobi, which engaged in racketeering of local transport companies that transport passengers around the city (taxi firms, car parks). Then they switched to garbage collection and disposal. Each slum dweller was also required to pay the representatives of the sect a certain amount, in exchange for quiet life in your own shack.

Russian Mafia

It is officially the most feared organized crime group in the world. Former FBI special agents call the Russian mafia "the most dangerous people on the ground". In the West, the term "Russian mafia" can mean any criminal organization, both Russian itself and from other states of the post-Soviet space, or from the immigration environment in the far abroad. Some stuff hierarchical tattoos, often use military tactics and carry out contract killings.

Hell's Angels

Considered an organized crime group in the United States. This is one of the largest motorcycle clubs in the world (Hells Angels Motorcycle Club), which has almost mythical story and branches around the world. According to the legend posted on the official website of the motorcycle club, during the Second World War, the US Air Force had the 303rd heavy bomber squadron with the name "Hell's Angels". After the end of the war and the disbandment of the unit, the pilots were left without work. They believe that their homeland betrayed them and left them to the mercy of fate. They had no choice but to go against their "cruel country, get on motorcycles, join motorcycle clubs and rebel." Along with legal activities (motorcycle dealerships, motorcycle repair shops, sale of goods with symbols), the Hells Angels are known for illegal activities (sale of weapons, drugs, racketeering, prostitution control, and so on).

Sicilian Mafia: La Cosa Nostra

The organization began its activities in the second half of the 19th century, when the Sicilian and American mafia were the strongest. Initially, Cosa Nostra was engaged in protection (including the most cruel methods) owners of orange plantations and nobles who owned large land plots. By the beginning of the 20th century, it had turned into an international criminal group, whose main activity was banditry. The organization has a clear hierarchical structure. Its members often resort to highly ritualistic methods of revenge, and also have a series of elaborate rites of initiation for males into the group. They also have their own code of silence and secrecy.

Albanian mafia

There are 15 clans in Albania that control most of the Albanian organized crime. They keep drug trafficking under their control, they are engaged in trafficking in people and weapons. They also coordinate the supply of large quantities of heroin to Europe.

Serbian mafia

Various criminal gangs based in Serbia and Montenegro, consisting of ethnic Serbs and Montenegrins. Their activities are quite diverse: drug trafficking, smuggling, racketeering, contract killings, gambling and information trafficking. To date, there are about 30-40 active criminal groups in Serbia.

Montreal Mafia Rizzuto

The Rizzuto are a crime family primarily based in Montreal but running the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. They once merged with families in New York, which eventually led to the mafia wars in Montreal in the late 70s. Rizzuto owns hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate in different countries. They own hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, construction, food, service and trading companies. In Italy, they own firms for the production of furniture and Italian delicacies.

Mexican drug cartels

Mexican drug cartels have been around for decades, and since the 1970s have been aided by some state structures Mexico. Mexican drug cartels intensified after the collapse in the 1990s of the Colombian drug cartels - Medellin and. It is currently the main foreign supplier of cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine in Mexico, and Mexican drug cartels dominate the wholesale illicit drug market.

Mara Salvatrucha

Slang for "Salvadorian roaming ant brigade" and is often shortened to MS-13. This gang lives mostly Central America and based in Los Angeles (although they operate in other areas North America and Mexico). By different estimates, the number of this cruel criminal syndicate ranges from 50 to 300 thousand people. Mara Salvatrucha is involved in many types of criminal business, including drug trafficking, arms and human trafficking, robbery, racketeering, contract killings, kidnapping for ransom, car theft, money laundering and fraud. hallmark The members of the group are tattooed all over their bodies, including on the face and the inside of the lips. They not only show a person's belonging to a gang, but also tell in their details about his criminal biography, influence and status in the community.

Colombian drug cartels

Culture Jokes Life stories 10 most brutal and influential mafia groups in the world

10 most brutal and influential mafia groups in the world

1 Sicilian Mafia

Valid in Sicily early XIX century, turning at the beginning of the 20th century into international organization. Initially, the organization was engaged in protecting the owners of orange plantations and nobles who own large plots of land, mainly from themselves. These were the beginnings of racketeering. Later, Cosa Nostra expanded its area of ​​activity, becoming a criminal gang in every way. Since the 20th century, banditry has become the main activity of Cosa Nostra.

2. Russian mafia

It is officially the most feared organized crime group in the world. Former FBI special agents call the Russian mafia "the most dangerous people on Earth." In the West, the term "Russian mafia" can mean any criminal organization, both Russian itself and from other states of the post-Soviet space, or from the immigration environment in the far abroad. Some get hierarchical tattoos, often use military tactics and perform contract killings.

3. Mexican mafia (La eMe)

This gang is an ally of the Aryan Brotherhood from the south coast of the United States. Known for her Active participation in the drug trade. Gang members are easily identified by a special tattoo in the form of a black hand located on the chest.

The Mexican mafia was created in the late 50s by members of a Mexican street gang incarcerated at the Dewell Prison, located in Trici, California. The founders of the gang were thirteen Mexican-Americans from East Los Angeles, several of whom were members of the Marawil gang. They called themselves Mexicanemi, which is translated from the Nahuatl language as "one who walks with God in his heart."

4 Yakuza

The Yakuza are organized crime syndicates in Japan, similar to the triad in other Asian countries or the Western mafia. However, social organization and the features of the work of the yakuza are very different from other criminal gangs: they even have their own office buildings, and their actions are often and quite openly written in the press.

One of the iconic images of the Yakuza is their intricate colored tattoos all over their bodies. Yakuza use traditional method manually injecting ink under the skin, known as irezumi - such a tattoo serves as a kind of proof of courage, since this method is very painful.

5. Chinese Triad

The triad is a form of secret criminal organization in China and in the Chinese diaspora. Triads have always been characterized by common beliefs (belief in the mystical meaning of the number 3, hence their name). At present, the triads are known mainly as mafia-type criminal organizations prevalent in Taiwan, the United States and other centers of Chinese immigration, specializing in drug trafficking and other criminal activities.

The Triad is one of the most patriotic mafias. During international events militants guarantee the safety of foreigners, and during the outbreak of SARS even announced a $1 million bonus to a doctor who finds a cure for this disease.

6. Hell's Angels (USA)

One of the largest motorcycle clubs in the world with its chapters (branches) all over the world. Included, along with Outlaws MC, Pagans MC and Bandidos MC, in the so-called "big four" outlaw clubs and is the most famous among them.

Law enforcement agencies in a number of countries call the club a “gang of motorcyclists” and are accused of drug trafficking, racketeering, trafficking in stolen goods, violence, murders, etc.

According to the legend posted on the official website of the motorcycle club, during the Second World War, and the US Air Force, there was the 303rd heavy bomber squadron with the name "Hell's Angels". After the end of the war and the disbandment of the unit, the pilots were left without work. They believe that their homeland betrayed them and left them to the mercy of fate. They had no choice but to go against their "cruel country, get on motorcycles, join motorcycle clubs and rebel."

7 Mara Salvatrucha

This mafia is engaged in many types of criminal business, including drug trafficking, weapons and people; robbery, racketeering, contract killings, kidnapping for ransom, pimping, car theft, money laundering and fraud.

Many street vendors and small shops located in the territories of Mara Salvatrucha pay the gang up to half of the income for the opportunity to work. Forced to pay MS-13 and many Salvadorans living in the United States, whose relatives, in case of refusal, the bandits will mutilate or kill in their homeland

8 Montreal Mafia Rizzuto

The Rizzuto are a crime family primarily based in Montreal but running the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. They once merged with families in New York, which eventually led to the mafia wars in Montreal in the late 70s. Rizzuto owns hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate in different countries. They own hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, construction, food, service and trading companies. In Italy, they own firms for the production of furniture and Italian delicacies.

9. Mungiki (Kenya)

This is a Kenyan banned (since 2002) politico-religious group resurrecting traditional African religion. Born in the wake of the Mau Mau uprising. Gained notoriety for massacres and clashes with the police.

Mungiki considers itself a religious group that advocates the preservation of the traditional "African way of worship, culture and way of life." Its adherents pray with their faces turned towards Mount Kenya. They also practice vows and sacrifices.

Alexander Taranov12.08.2015

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The Mexican mafia is a criminal organization that mainly consists of people of Mexican nationality. Despite its name, it was originally created in the United States, and its activities are carried out mainly on the territory of this state in its prisons. Mexican gangsters are one of the old US mafias.

Creation of the Mafia

The beginning of this criminal organization, which is also called La Eme (the name of the letter "M" on Spanish), is considered to be a meeting on November 14, 1957 in the town of Apalachin (New York) of the founder of the mafia, Luis Guero Buff Flores, with the leaders of various gangster groups. This meeting was disclosed by the authorities.

Initially, the idea of ​​Luis Flores was to unite the most dangerous Mexican gangsters in order to control the black market in the prison. One of the members of the mafia, Ramon Aimé Mendoza, set a goal for the created mafia: to terrorize the prison system and enjoy the amenities it provides.

Subsequently, Anacleta Ramirez, a well-known member of one of the gangs that make up the organization of Mexican bandits, began to attract problem young people into it, teaching them discipline and the rules of life on the street.

Mafia division

In 1978, the criminal organization La Eme split into two factions:

1. The original mafia, which retained the structure and philosophy of the previous organization.
2. A new mafia with its own structure, in which each of its members can participate in the selection of the leader, who has the right to make important decisions.

This separation took place at Florence Prison in Arizona. The next few years in the history of the mafia were marked by a mass of murders, caused by disputes between two new organizations for the right to be called the Mexican Mafia.

Mafia crimes

The main illegal activities of the Mexican gangster organization are terrorism, car theft, kidnapping, extortion, drug trafficking and weapons trafficking both inside and outside US prisons.

This mafia is involved in the murders of many members of other gangs, such as the Aryan Brotherhood - an organization consisting of gangsters with white skin, or Black Guerilla Family, which included mostly African Americans.

The Mexican mafia operates in the US in the so-called golden triangle: Chicago, Texas and California. Currently, the mafia also operates in Mexico. Many of its members have dual citizenship and are free to cross the border between the two countries. The mafia's criminal activities contribute to Mexico's status as one of the most dangerous countries in the world.

Culture and norms of the criminal organization

The criminal organization La Eme does not have a single leader, many of its members have the right to plan murders of people and carry out other criminal operations. According to rough estimates, about 1,000 mafia members have the right to lead and control its activities.

The organizations of Mexican bandits operate the following rules:

1. Gang members cannot be homosexuals.
2. Members of the organization should not be informers.
3. Gang members cannot be cowards.
4. It is forbidden to make an attempt on another member of the gang without permission.
5. Each bandit must respect the family of another mafia member.
6. Gang members are not allowed to rob each other.
7. The participant has no right to interfere in the affairs of another bandit.

Violation of any norm is punishable by death.

Mafia allies and enemies

The Mexican mafia controls almost all gangs in southern California. The mafia is an ally of the group despite periodic disagreements, since both organizations have common enemies. La Eme also cooperates with Mexican drug cartels.

The main enemies of the mafia are the criminal organization Our Family, which dominates northern California, as well as some African-American groups, such as the Crips or Bloods.

Symbols of a criminal organization

The main symbol of the organization of Mexican bandits is a black hand, which is often depicted on the tattoos of its members. The national symbol of Mexico - an eagle and a snake, located above a fiery circle with crossed knives, is also used by this mafia. And another symbol of the mafia is the letter "M", which its members in the form of tattoos depict on the palms and fingers.

Often, street gangs that are under the control of the Mexican mafia use the number 13 to identify themselves, since it is serial number the letter "M" in Spanish alphabet.

Another well-known symbol of this organization is a woman wearing a sombrero and the words Carnalismo (consanguinity), Sureño (southern) and Homie.