The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) bagged the senior MS-13 leader for the Northeast U.S. along with 11 other high-ranking members of the gang in a Thursday crackdown operation, the New York Post reported.

The 17 defendants — five of whom are not MS-13 members — are facing charges including second-degree murder, drug trafficking, and conspiracy. They face up to 25 years in prison if convicted, the Post reported Thursday. The unnamed Long Island-based leader operated two cells, code-named “Hollywood” and “Sailors.” He reported and transferred proceeds directly to MS-13 heads in El Salvador, according to the DEA.

“It started as a small-scale drug investigation on Long Island, a DEA investigation which is still growing, and as it went along and we brought other agencies on, we saw a violent threat that pushed us to get even more agencies involved and eventually apprehend this regional leader of MS-13,” DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt said in a statement. “Not only did we arrest the highest-level Mara Salvatrucha leader in the Northeast who reports to MS-13 in El Salvador, but we sent a message that we will continue to investigate their violent crimes and bring justice to their victims.” – READ MORE

“Who the hell wants to take care of them?,” President Donald Trump told graduates of the FBI National Academy while speaking about the MS-13 transnational criminal gang. During his speech in Quantico, Virginia, the commander-in-chief said it was cheaper to deport the hyper-violent gang members than to jail them.

“To any member of MS-13 listening, I have a message for you: We will find you,” the president said on Friday. “We will arrest you. We will jail you. We will throw you the hell out of the country.”

The president continued, “I mean, somehow, I like it better than jail. Jail we have to take care of them. Who the hell wants to take care of them.” The graduates responded with applause. “You know the jail stuff is wonderful but, we have to pay for it, right?” – READ MORE