The Mexican Mafia, the criminal group, also known as “La EME”, emerged decades ago within the California prison system.
Authorities in San Diego, California, arrested 39 people from the Mexican Mafia prison gang, which is linked to Mexican cartels.
Through the undercover operation called “Los Impuestos”, members of the law enforcement agencies of the San Diego Police Gang Unit, the Gang Unit of the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives office, obtained evidence against 46 people for various crimes such as murder and two attempted murders.
Of the 46 people, seven of them were already detained for other crimes, while the remaining 39 were arrested.
“These criminals took orders from gang bosses operating out of the state prison and preyed on business owners by forcing them to pay taxes in a mafia-style fashion. They trafficked illegal drugs, committed acts of widespread violence, and trafficked in weapons such as ghost guns and AR-15 rifles,” said San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan.
In addition, Captain Manny del Toro indicated that the extortion and trafficking orders were given by Ronaldo Ayala, a leader of the Mexican Mafia, who was recently charged with extortion by federal prosecutors.
According to Del Toro, Ayala was also accused of offering protection to Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, who is serving a life sentence in a maximum security prison in Colorado.
What is the Mexican Mafia?
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office details that the Mexican Mafia, also known as “La EME,” is the “largest and most established prison gang in the United States.”
The Mexican Mafia emerged in the California prison system more than 50 years ago; however, its operation currently covers other states, as well as the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
This criminal group is dedicated to “controlling and using gang members in and out of prison to commit crimes such as extortion of legal and illegal businesses, drug and firearm trafficking, intimidation of witnesses and victims, beatings, shootings, and murders,” details the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. All of these criminal acts occurred in San Diego, mainly in the center and south of the city, in Barrio Logan, City Heights.
Organized Crime Takedown Nets 39 Arrests of Violent Criminals, Arms Traffickers and Drug Dealers: https://t.co/SZq0XTNyTk @SanDiegoPD @DEASANDIEGODiv @SDSheriff @NATIONALCITYPD @SummerStephan pic.twitter.com/DK7sWpSko7
— SD District Attorney (@SDDistAtty) January 22, 2025
As part of the operation, the San Diego District Attorney’s Office discovered that the Mexican Mafia gave the order to violate with a grenade a business that stopped paying its “tax,” that is, the extortion. In addition, they had attacked other businesses with Molotov cocktails and robbed them.
“This operation is the perfect example of how effective and thorough police work keeps our communities safe and forces violent criminals to be held accountable,” said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl.
In the operation, 21 pistols, 23 rifles, four shotguns, a Glock switch, and two grenades were confiscated. As well as 75 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.66 pounds of cocaine, 59.5 pounds of fentanyl, and more than four thousand M30 fentanyl pills.
Source: San Diego District Attorney
