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While many gangs and criminal groups have employed the use of tattoos for decades, it's a relatively new phenomenon for the brutal Mexican drug cartels, and the pictures of these cartel tattoos show they're bigger and badder than ever.
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Tattoos are an excellent tool for law enforcement and corrections officers to use to identify known or suspected gang members. This gallery includes examples of tattoos worn by predominanly Latino gangs such as the Mexican Mafia, MS-13, and the Latin Kings.
‘La Eme,’ or The M, is the symbol of the Mexican Mafia. They are one of the largest and most ruthless prison gangs in the U.S. They’re allied with the Aryan Brotherhood, and have a common enemy in the Nuestra Familia.
Mexican Mafia symbols include images of a black hand. The gang's primary symbol, which is often used in tattoos by members, is the national symbol of Mexico (eagle and a snake) atop a flaming circle over crossed knives.
The Mexican Mafia has a few tattoos that solely belong to its direct members. In Spanish, the gang is referred to as “La Eme,” so a gang member is likely to have those three letters somewhere on his or her body. This gang also uses the number 13, standing for “M,” the 13th letter in the alphabet.
Sureño Tattoos and Symbols. Sureños can be found in every major city in the U.S. They can be found in Canada, Mexico, Europe, and South America. The big transnational super gangs such as Florence, 18th Street, and Mara Salvatrucha threaten the stability of some Central American nations.
Scenes from gang life, beautiful women, slick cars with filigree script, and Catholic crosses quickly went from hand drawn illustrations, such as the ballpoint pen decorated handkerchiefs and linens called Paños, to iconic Chicano tattoos.