Police say MS-13 different from other Toronto street gangs

Yesterday Toronto police sent out a press release announcing they along with Halton Regional Police had launched raids aimed at people linked to the notorious Central American street gang known as Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13. There have been reports in the past that this gang has been establishing itself in Canada. Earlier this year a MS-13 member who admitted being a murderer was temporarily released before finally being deported.

Today Chief Bill Blair held a press conference to discuss yesterday's arrests. (You can download audio of the conference in mp3 format on the police website.) I listened to the audio this evening. Unfortunately it's no surprise to hear that MS-13 is using the refugee system to enter Canada. This is, after all, the same system that has allowed Tamil, Sikh and Muslim terrorists to set up shop here.

The police said something else interesting. In recent years, Toronto has seen the emergence of black gangs that call themselves Crips and Bloods. While these black gangs imitate the American originals, Toronto police see little evidence of actual links between the Canadians and the Americans. MS-13 is a different story. It is a transnational gang that actively recruits members in other countries. In Canada, MS-13 has been working to recruit local Latino gangs into their transnational network.

Police say yesterday's arrests stopped a plan to murder someone in the justice system, but didn't say what job in the system the target of the plot held.