Drug Trafficking Organizations - Los Angeles HIDTA Drug Market Analysis

Mexican DTOs use the Los Angeles HIDTA region as a base of operations for national-level drug trafficking and money laundering activities. They have established a highly sophisticated smuggling infrastructure consisting of compartmentalization of duties; alliances with other DTOs, criminal groups, and gangs; and nationwide networks. They rely on established smuggling routes and adapt their smuggling methods to maximize the flow of illicit drugs into and through the Los Angeles HIDTA region and the return of drug proceeds in the reverse direction. Many of these Mexican DTOs are family-based organizations; they protect their operations by employing relatives and friends living on both sides of the border, making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to penetrate them. Mexican DTOs also establish operational cells in drug markets across the country to facilitate national-level distribution; these cells often are managed by Mexican DTOs based in the Los Angeles HIDTA region. For example, the leader of a Mexican DTO or criminal group cell in the Northeast may contact the leader of an affiliated cell in the Los Angeles HIDTA region to ensure that cocaine shipments are smuggled from Mexico to the appropriate Northeast destination and that the drug proceeds were transported in the reverse direction. Some DTOs also exploit the region's large Mexican illegal alien population, a population they maliciously view as plentiful and "disposable," by hiring those individuals to engage in the more risky aspects of illicit drug trafficking, including transporting illicit drugs or tending cannabis grow sites. If illegal aliens who work for these Mexican DTOs are apprehended, the DTO easily replaces each individual at virtually no cost to the organization.

Street gangs, prison gangs, and outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMGs) are significant drug traffickers in the Los Angeles HIDTA region as well. Los Angeles has the largest gang population in the United States, a significant portion of which distributes illicit drugs. Many of these gangs increasingly work with Mexican DTOs and criminal groups to purchase wholesale quantities of illicit drugs for retail and midlevel distribution in the HIDTA region. Street gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13), 18th Street, West Side, and Bloods and Crips sets,³ and some OMGs distribute illicit drugs to markets located in other parts of the country, primarily to their counterparts in the markets. However, others--particularly those with direct ties to Mexican DTOs and criminal--also distribute significant quantities of illicit drugs to other DTOs, criminal groups, or independents in foreign markets, most likely to capitalize on the higher profits that can be made in those markets. Street gangs also dominate retail distribution of most illicit drugs in the HIDTA region. Prison gangs control much of the drug distribution within prisons; they also collect money from some street gangs, primarily Hispanic gangs, as a fee or tax for their right to distribute drugs in specific areas. (See text box.) Members of some OMGs distribute illicit drugs in the HIDTA region, but on a much smaller scale than prison or street gangs.

African American, Caucasian, Colombian, El Salvadoran, Canadian, Chinese, Jamaican, Vietnamese, and other Asian criminal groups and independent dealers also transport and distribute illicit drugs in the Los Angeles HIDTA region, but the nature and scope of their trafficking operations are relatively minor in comparison with the operations of Mexican DTOs and, to a lesser extent, street gangs, prison gangs, and OMGs.

Street Gangs, Prison Gangs, and Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs in the Los Angeles HIDTA Region

Street Gangs: There are over 3,400 active street gangs with over 140,000 members in the Los Angeles HIDTA region; approximately 80,000 members distribute illicit drugs in Los Angeles County alone. Most are formed along ethnic lines, predominantly Hispanic, African American, and Asian. They are most prevalent in metropolitan areas and typically distribute illicit drugs within designated territories such as 5th and San Julian or MacArthur Park.

Prison Gangs: There are more than 1,000 active prison gang members in the Los Angeles HIDTA region. The Mexican Mafia (La Eme)--the largest prison gang operating in the HIDTA region--is one of the most influential drug trafficking gangs in the region. This gang controls much of the Hispanic prison population as well as Hispanic street gang activities in metropolitan areas within the HIDTA region.^a

OMGs: There are numerous active OMGs in the Los Angeles HIDTA region. The most prominent OMGs include Diablos, Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, Mongols, and Vagos. Members of some of these OMGs have formed associations with prison and street gangs to facilitate drug trafficking activities.

Source: California Department of Justice Criminal Intelligence Bureau; Los Angeles Sheriff's Department; Los Angeles Police Department.
a. Mexican Mafia control originated in the California Department of Corrections in the 1970s by members of several southern California Hispanic streets gangs who wanted to protect themselves from Hispanic gang members from northern California. The southern California gang members--initially referred to as Southsiders and later as Sureños--aligned themselves with the Mexican Mafia prison gang, while northern California street gang members--referred to as Northsiders and later as Norteños--aligned themselves with the Nuestra Familia prison gang. Hispanic street gang members entering the California prison system were required by the Mexican Mafia and Nuestra Familia prison gangs to set aside their street gang names, affiliations, and rivalries and represent themselves as either Sureños or Norteños members, a practice that is still followed today.

End Note

3. Bloods and Crips are not specific gangs but are associations of gangs that share a common gang culture. Each gang that is a part of the association is known as a set.