19 alleged gang members charged under RICO

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- A federal indictment has charged 19 alleged members of the Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13 gang in the Washington area as racketeers.

Nine of the suspects were picked up in early morning raids Thursday in Prince George's County in suburban Maryland, the Washington Times reported. Ten were already behind bars on charges that include homicide and attempted homicide.

"MS-13 is an organized crime gang group," Rod J. Rosenstein, U.S. attorney for Maryland, said. "We have strong tools to fight gang violence and we are going to use those tools here in Maryland."

The indictment under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations or RICO Act charges that the group conspired in crimes that included murder and attempted murder to further criminal activities.

MS 13 is primarily made up of immigrants from El Salvador and began its U.S. activities in the 1980s in Los Angeles, USA Today reported.