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Retired agent Bob Clifford served with the FBI for 24 years. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, he reviews the organization and operation of the transnational gang MS-13, Mara Salvatrucha, the most dangerous gang in America. In November 2004, Bob Clifford was asked by then FBI Director Robert Mueller to accept a special assignment to FBIHQ to establish the FBI’s MS-13 National Gang Task Force, and served as its first Director. For the next 18 months, Bob led multi-agency and multi-national efforts to combat the infamous MS-13 and other violent transnational street gangs, to include several deployments throughout Central America to successfully garner international cooperation and intelligence-sharing. In addition to coordinating multiple law enforcement field operations, Bob was required to appear before White House, Congressional, and Cabinet-level officials on a regular basis. The task force is now known as the Transnational Anti-Gang (TAG) Task Force initiative. Bob Clifford was previously interviewed on Episodes 96 and 97 of FBI Retired Case File Review about his investigation and capture of the only surviving hijacker responsible for the hijacking of Egypt Air Flight 648.

Special Agent (Retired)
Robert Clifford
1/9/1989 – 6/30/2012

The following are FBI, magazine, and newspaper articles about the violent gang and the FBI’s MS-13, Mara Salvatrucha National Gang Task Force, now known as the Transnational Anti-Gang (TAG) Task Force initiative:

FBI Website – What We Investigate- Gangs

Business Insider – 9/26/2015:  Photos of the men of El Salvador’s Penas Ciudad Barrios — a prison so dangerous even the guards stay outside

Voice of America – 10/27/2009:  Latino Street Gangs a Major Law Issue in US

The Christian Science Monitor – 2/24/2005:  FBI confronts new gang threat

Newsweek – 3/27/2005:  THE MOST DANGEROUS GANG IN AMERICA

Washington Times – 5/4/2005:  Gang follows illegal aliens