Sureños
Encyclopedia
Sureños are a group of Mexican American street gangs with origins in the oldest barrio
s of Southern California
. Although they are based in California, the influence of the Sureños has spread to many parts of the US and other countries as well such as Germany and Japan. The gang's alleged roots came from a prison dispute between the Mexican Mafia
(La Eme) and Nuestra Familia
(NF). Those that sided with the NF aligned themselves in Northern California and called themselves Norteños (Northerners) which became the Sureños' main adversary. Sureños appear mostly in the southern areas of California, but are also present in Northern California. Sureños can be found in all states of the U.S.
. Sureño (male) Sureña (female) are the basics on what they are separated by. They originated from Southern California prison and made their way through "barrios"(hoods/neighborhoods). Throughout 1992-1993, the Mexican Mafia
held meetings throughout Southern California with local gangs to unify them as Sureños, The Mexican Mafia also taxed the local gangs and banned drive by shootings. This required the Sureños to walk up and shoot their enemies and avoid shooting non-gang members. The Sureños identify with the color blue which comes from days past when the prisons offered two standard colors of bandanas, blue and red. Their enemies are Norteños
(Northerners) and have been at war since the beginning. The term was first used in the 1960s as a result of a California prison
war between the Mexican Mafia (La Eme) and Nuestra Familia
(NF). This war resulted in a territorial division between gang members from norteño (northern) California who aligned with NF, and those from southern California aligned with La Eme. As Eme members paroled to the streets, they were tasked with creating new cells to help facilitate more crime. With her connections to the original members of La Eme, Anacleta "La Annie" Ramirez recruited young gang members on the streets to work as lackeys for La Eme. She created a structure so that members coming out of prison, along with her help, could teach the susceptible young gang members new criminal activities to create new streams of profit for the Mexican Mafia. In addition, paroled members explained the North versus South war occurring in prison to the young street gang members. The youngsters were told that when they did enter the prison system that they should align themselves with the other Surenos. The term Sureno was soon adopted by Hispanic street gang members throughout Southern California.They are increasing and are now world wide.Can be found Japan, Germany,and throughout Central and South America.Sur 13 is bigger then Nortenos.
, Los Angeles Lakers
, San Jose Sharks
, San Diego Padres
, and San Diego Chargers
, Dallas Cowboys
,this also includes Oakland Raiders
gear clothing.and they are increasing
from suspected street-level drug dealers.
The majority of the arrests were for trafficking and possessing guns, gang participation, drug charges and violating probation terms. Several men were arrested more than once over the course of the year, according to the Police Department.
Barrio
Barrio is a Spanish word meaning district or neighborhood.-Usage:In its formal usage in English, barrios are generally considered cohesive places, sharing, for example, a church and traditions such as feast days...
s of Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. Although they are based in California, the influence of the Sureños has spread to many parts of the US and other countries as well such as Germany and Japan. The gang's alleged roots came from a prison dispute between the Mexican Mafia
Mexican Mafia
The Mexican Mafia , also known as La Eme , 13 is a Mexican American criminal organization, and is one of the oldest and most powerful prison gangs in the United States.-Foundation:...
(La Eme) and Nuestra Familia
Nuestra Familia
Nuestra Familia is a criminal organization of Mexican American prison gangs with origins in Northern California. While members of the Norteños gang are considered to be affiliated with Nuestra Familia, being a member of Nuestra Familia itself does not signify association as a Norteño...
(NF). Those that sided with the NF aligned themselves in Northern California and called themselves Norteños (Northerners) which became the Sureños' main adversary. Sureños appear mostly in the southern areas of California, but are also present in Northern California. Sureños can be found in all states of the U.S.
History
The term "Sureños” meaning Southerner in SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. Sureño (male) Sureña (female) are the basics on what they are separated by. They originated from Southern California prison and made their way through "barrios"(hoods/neighborhoods). Throughout 1992-1993, the Mexican Mafia
Mexican Mafia
The Mexican Mafia , also known as La Eme , 13 is a Mexican American criminal organization, and is one of the oldest and most powerful prison gangs in the United States.-Foundation:...
held meetings throughout Southern California with local gangs to unify them as Sureños, The Mexican Mafia also taxed the local gangs and banned drive by shootings. This required the Sureños to walk up and shoot their enemies and avoid shooting non-gang members. The Sureños identify with the color blue which comes from days past when the prisons offered two standard colors of bandanas, blue and red. Their enemies are Norteños
Norteños
The Norteños , also Norte, are affiliated with Nuestra Familia , are a coalition of traditionally Latino gangs in Northern California A member of these gangs is a Norteño or Norteña based on Spanish usage...
(Northerners) and have been at war since the beginning. The term was first used in the 1960s as a result of a California prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
war between the Mexican Mafia (La Eme) and Nuestra Familia
Nuestra Familia
Nuestra Familia is a criminal organization of Mexican American prison gangs with origins in Northern California. While members of the Norteños gang are considered to be affiliated with Nuestra Familia, being a member of Nuestra Familia itself does not signify association as a Norteño...
(NF). This war resulted in a territorial division between gang members from norteño (northern) California who aligned with NF, and those from southern California aligned with La Eme. As Eme members paroled to the streets, they were tasked with creating new cells to help facilitate more crime. With her connections to the original members of La Eme, Anacleta "La Annie" Ramirez recruited young gang members on the streets to work as lackeys for La Eme. She created a structure so that members coming out of prison, along with her help, could teach the susceptible young gang members new criminal activities to create new streams of profit for the Mexican Mafia. In addition, paroled members explained the North versus South war occurring in prison to the young street gang members. The youngsters were told that when they did enter the prison system that they should align themselves with the other Surenos. The term Sureno was soon adopted by Hispanic street gang members throughout Southern California.They are increasing and are now world wide.Can be found Japan, Germany,and throughout Central and South America.Sur 13 is bigger then Nortenos.
Symbols and Culture
Sureño gang members often identify themselves with the number 13; to represent the thirteenth letter of the alphabet, the letter M. This is used to pay homage to the Mexican Mafia. Surenos will use the symbols Sur, XIII, X3, 13, $ur13 and 3-dots in their graffiti and tattoos. In many parts of the country they will identify themselves with the color blue (mainly royal blue) and gray, and black also including sports teams such as the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
, and San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
,this also includes Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
gear clothing.and they are increasing
Operation Groundhog
In May 2010, with help from the FBI and other law enforcement agencies in California, forty-three suspected Sureño gang members were arrested and two others are wanted after a year-long investigation of the gang's activities in California. Police also recovered heroin and methamphetamineMethamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
from suspected street-level drug dealers.
The majority of the arrests were for trafficking and possessing guns, gang participation, drug charges and violating probation terms. Several men were arrested more than once over the course of the year, according to the Police Department.