Alex Trelinski
A VIOLENT gang from El Salvador that has expanded into Spain has suffered a major blow with the Policia Nacional arresting 27 members.
Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, was looking to buy weapons in the country and had done a deal with a criminal to carry out an assassination.
Donald Trump’s administration branded the group in February as a foreign terrorist organisation and the FBI provided support to Spanish authorities in their operation.
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The arrests were carried out on March 27 but information was only released on Wednesday.
18 of the detentions were in the Madrid area.
All of those arrested were aged between 20 and 30, with five Spanish nationals- including a woman- on the list.
The rest came from Central and South America including 10 from El Salvador.
Nine of the detainees have been jailed with multiple charges laid down against them including homicide, causing injury, robbery with violence and crimes against public health.
Seized items included bladed weapons, simulated firearms, narcotic substances, and mobile phones.
Two MS-13 groups operated out of Madrid and Barcelona, with contacts in other parts of Spain and in Europe.
The Policia Nacional said that the high level probe started nearly two years ago and involved over 200 officers.
The aim was to stop the group from getting stronger.
Policia Nacional commissioner, Vicente Martinez, said: “The Mara Salvatrucha is a very violent phenomenon that destabilises national security.”
He emphasised that the arrests made it possible to nip the group in the bud as it was still in a ‘primitive’ stage.
The Madrid branch trafficked drugs in small amounts and held meetings to recruit new members and had contacts in the US and Central America.
He added that their drug trade was really about getting money keep going while their real aim was all ‘about violence’
Martinez said they intercepted a video call in February 2024 which outlined expansion plans in Madrid and Barcelona with orders on how to go about it.
This included organisational advice and how to punish people who did not fall into line.
The commissioner revealed that the force moved in on the suspects in late March before their planned assassination could be executed.
Thankfully Trump is rounding up these criminals and deporting them. They all belong in the salvadoran prison offered by president Bukele. These ppl have no business living among the civilized. Hopefully Spain follows Trumps lead and gets rid of them too.