Mega-Gangs the New Plague in Venezuela
Heavily armed “mega-gangs” have taken over poor neighborhoods in Venezuela, according to the director of the Organized Crime Observatory, Luis Cedeño.
The sociologist says there are at least 10 mega-gangs currently operating in Venezuela, a product of prison culture transferred from jails to poor neighborhoods. Two organizations have become especially popular, and have had numerous confrontations with authorities: El Picure and El Juvenal.
Cedeño explains that “mega-gangs” are defined by the number men in the group and the firepower they possess. Each mega-gang is comprised of at least 60 members, and are known to carry AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, as well as explosives.
He says the government’s failure to curb criminal-gang activity reached its peak with the creation of “peace zones,” territories that are off-limits to police, where gang leaders are left to impose their will unabated.
http://panampost.com/thabata-molina/2015/07/24/mega-gangs-the-new-plague-in-venezuela/
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