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Top 15 Sensational Facts about the Mexican Mafia

Several people think that the Mexican Mafia organization comes from a Mexican country, but that is not true. The Mexican Mafia is a gang that began in the United States and continues to operate in the US. This gang majorly operates from behind the bars.

The Mexican Mafia is a highly-organized criminal organization that has been operational since the 1950s. Luis 鈥淗uero Buff鈥� Flores and thirteen other Hispanic street gang members stationed at Deuel Vocational Institution in California formed the Mexican Mafia gang. The major purpose of forming the Mexican Mafia was to protect themselves from other prison gangs.

However, the Mexican Mafia turned out to be more than the founders had anticipated it to be. As time went by, the Mexican Mafia has been involved in several high-profile crimes ranging from murders to drug selling. The influence of the members of the Mexican Mafia has always put their enemies worried as they are merciless when executing their commands.

Here are the Top 15 Sensational Fact about the Mexican Mafia:

1. The Mexican Mafia was Formed by 14 Prison Convicts

A Shirtless man with Tattoo lying on the Bed Inside the Prison. Photo by Rodnae Production on

In 1957, Luis 鈥淗uero Buff鈥� Flores who was incarcerated at the Deuel Vocational Institution (DVI) in Tracy, California wanted a way of protecting himself. Alongside 13 other inmates at the DVI, Flores formed the Mexican Mafia gang.

La Eme was to serve as a 鈥済ang of gangs鈥� other than protecting the Hispanics from other gangs within the California prison system. Little did they know that they had created a strong gang that protect them from other gangs as well as expanded their wings outside the prison system.

Read on 10 Scary Urban Legends of California.

2. La Eme Gang is a Gang in the US not Mexico

The Mexican Mafia gang or La Eme has confused several people across the world as many have wrong facts about this criminal organization. Many might think that this is a gang that has its roots in Mexican country, but this is not the fact.

The Mexican Mafia organization is a gang that was formed in the United States, California prison system. However, the founders of the gang were Hispanics who wanted to protect themselves from intimidation from other prison gangs. The criminal organization continued to be stronger as the years went by.

3. The Mexican Mafia鈥檚 Influence Spread Quickly to Other Prisons in the 1960s

Image depicting a member of the MS13 gang. Work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Photo by Federal Bureau of Investigation on

At the Deuel Vocational Institution, the influence of the Mexican Mafia was getting extreme and terrifying. The gang quickly grew in size and strength overpowering the other prison gangs that were present during that time. The California Department of Corrections (CDC) had to act faster to calm the influence of the Mexican Mafia.

In the 1960s, the CDC had to move several members of the Mexican Mafia to other prisons such as San Quentin. This was an effort to break up the gang activities of the Mexican Mafia at the Deuel Vocational Institution.

However, this was a huge mistake by the Correctional administration as they spread La Eme鈥檚 influence to other prisons. The Mexican Mafia saw the potential of expanding their business to drug selling, gambling, and other extortion stuff in prison. This led to the forcing of Latino inmates to part way with a percentage of their profits to the Mexican Mafia gang leaders.

4. La Eme Joined Forces with Street Gangs

Initially, the Mexican Mafia was majorly comprised of gang members in the prison system. However, the urge to expand their rule and control over more territories other than the prisons made the leaders of La Eme reach out elsewhere.

In the 1980s, the Mexican Mafia decided to approach and join forces with the East Los Angeles street gang leaders. They agreed on the proposal which made the Mexican Mafia gain control over more criminal activities. La Eme began taking part in drug trafficking, extortion, contract killings, and debt collection from inside the prison.

5. The Mexican Mafia Thrived in the Face of Opposition by Recruiting New Members

Aryan Brotherhood tattoo. Photo by United States Department of Justice on Wikimedia

As years went by, the influence of the Mexican Mafia became stronger but they faced major opposition from rival gangs. The prison system became more racially divided with the majority of the criminal organizations being race-based. The Black Guerrilla Family and the Aryan Brotherhood sprang into the California prison system making the Mexican Mafia act quickly.

To curb this influence from the rising gangs, the Mexican Mafia decided to recruit more members to their ranks. Gang rules were drafted and recruitment of new members became gradual. This enabled the Mexican Mafia organization to become more organized and stronger.

6. The Gang Drafted Rules that Must be Followed

To enable the recruitment of more members, the leaders of the Mexican Mafia decided to draft some rules or commandments that all members should be followed. Some of the rules drafted by the Mexican Mafia were to keep the members in line and avoid any unnecessary conflicts.

The same rules have always been followed during the recruitment of new members. It is believed that some of these sets of rules are so tough that if one fails to follow them, they pay with their lives.

7. La Eme was Neutralised in the 1990s but Sprang Back Up

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Since it was founded, the Mexican Mafia was gaining major influence within the prison system and in the streets. There was an urge by law enforcement to curb the negative influence of the Mexican Mafia in California and around.

In the 1990s, several police raids and subsequent federal indictments began to try to silence the Mexican Mafia. 22 people were charged under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act in 1995. They were charged with murder, extortion, and kidnappings.

The justice system officials thought that they had succeeded in ending the era of terror from La Eme. Those legal challenges never put the Mexican Mafia to an end. However, the Mexican Mafia continued with their criminal activities both in and out of prisons across California.

8. Members have to Undergo Tests for Loyalty

Not everyone is allowed to join the Mexican Mafia a rule which was present since it was formed. Initially, the new members had to follow a set of rules formulated by La Eme before officially joining the gang.

However, this changed over time as new members have to undergo some tests of loyalty. There are different ways the members are required to show their loyalty to the gang鈥檚 family.

Theft or/and murder are the two most common tasks that new members are ordered to do to prove their loyalty to the gang. The two tasks are thought to show how committed one can be to the future tasks one will be given. The punishment for failure to show your loyalty through these tests is death.

9. The Black Hand of Death is La Eme鈥檚 Symbol

Mexican Mafia tattoo. Photo by United States Department of Justice on

Like other gangs, the Mexican Mafia has a symbol that makes its members recognized anywhere they go. La Eme鈥檚 symbol is the Black Hand of Death which all members have to tattoo on their chests.

The symbol is a homage to Sicilian Mafia members. It also describes the method of extortion. The Black Hand of Death is one of the symbols used by the Mexican Mafia gang.

Other symbols include the Aztec Sun God, the Aztec Death God used by the members of high rank, and the number 13. The primary symbol of the Mexican Mafia is an Eagle and a Snake atop a flaming circle that is circled with knives.

10. The Gang was Offended by the 1992 Film 鈥淎merican Me鈥�

In 1992, the Mexican Mafia was Offended by the film American Me which was based on their activities. The gang did not appreciate several things the film portrayed about them which made their leaders irritated and sent threats to the directors and actors of the film.

The most offensive part of the film was the multiple male rape scenes which the gang felt embarrassed with. What made them offended more is that the Mexican Mafia forbids homosexuality within their gang. It is believed that informants of these scenes were murdered.

Also, read 15 Best Mafia Series to Watch on Netflix.

11. La Eme has Several Enemies both in the Streets and in Prison

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Like other gangs, the Mexican Mafia has several enemies whom they have been fighting for years. Their enemies are primarily Nuestra Familia and the Black Guerrilla Family.

However, in recent days, the Mexican Mafia has had more enemies due to the urge of controlling more territories and take part in more business. Their new enemy in recent days is the Bloods and Crips gang.

12. The Mexican Mafia Earns More Profits in Drugs Selling

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There might be several questions on how the Mexican Mafia make their earnings from inside the prison setup. La Eme deals in drug trafficking, with their preferred drug being heroin.

The drugs and other contraband are sneaked into the prison set up and sold to the other prisoners and some are used by the members. What makes it easy the sell heroin within the prison system is that the one who helps them gets 40% of the revenues collected. The benefit of the officers who help them in their business is that they can easily get out of the trade without any consequences.

13. The Way Out of the Gang is Death

Joining the Mexican Mafia means that one has decided to be bound to them with blood. The blood bond which gives new members a pass to get into the gang is one dangerous thing that haunts them for life.

This means that the way out of the Mexican Mafia is through death. It is believed that the punishment of death will help the gang keep their secrets and not reveal their deals to the public.

14. La Eme Deals with Contract Murders other than Drug Trafficking

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Drug trafficking is not the only primary source of income for the Mexican Mafia gang. Several gangs across California deal in drug trafficking, but La Eme being the most feared in the prison and outside the prison walls have other criminal activities they deal in.

The Mexican Mafia organization also takes part in contract murders which have always caused havoc to those affected. Through drive-by shootings and other killings, the Mexican Mafia also makes a living through these activities.

15. The Mexican Mafia has Two Branches

Initially, the Mexican Mafia was stationed in California where it was originally formed by Flores. However, as their influence grew stronger and several members moved to other locations, another branch was formed.

The New Mexican Mafia was formed in 1984 and is a part of the Old Mexican Mafia that is located in Arizona. The two groups might be seen as distinct by outsiders, but the members consider themselves autonomous in relation.

Read on A Brief History of the Mexican Mafia.