THOUSANDS of MS-13 Members ARRESTED in FBI & ICE Mega-Raid — $500 Million Criminal Empire Crumbles

Los Angeles. Houston. New York. 34 states. One historic operation.

In what is now considered the largest gang takedown in U.S. history, the FBI and ICE, with crucial support from the DEA and ATF, launched Operation Devil Horns—an unprecedented assault on the MS-13 criminal network. The operation led to the arrest of 2,743 MS-13 members, delivering a crushing blow to the infamous gang, which had wreaked havoc across multiple states for decades. Thousands of lives were impacted, and in the aftermath, many communities across the country were finally able to breathe a little easier.

Operation Overview:

The scale of the takedown was massive, covering 34 states and targeting key hubs where MS-13 had entrenched itself. The operation was made possible by a massive intelligence dump provided by law enforcement in El Salvador. With the gang’s hierarchy mapped out—each member’s address, job, and specific role within the organization—authorities were able to dismantle MS-13’s entire criminal infrastructure from top to bottom.

From West Coast coordinators to East Coast clique leaders, no area was left untouched. The gang’s operation, which generated an estimated $500 million annually, was built around violent activities like extortion, human smuggling, and murder-for-hire schemes. Through brutal tactics and a strategic, business-like approach, MS-13 had grown into a highly profitable, organized criminal enterprise.

How MS-13 Operated:

What investigators uncovered was chilling: MS-13 ran its operations with corporate-style efficiency. Digital forensics revealed encrypted communications and advanced logistics systems used to coordinate criminal activities across the country. Authorities recovered military-grade weapons in multiple tactical raids, suggesting that the gang had access to an arsenal far beyond that of typical street-level criminals.

The evidence also pointed to the presence of even deeper layers of criminal infrastructure that remain to be uncovered. This was a gang that had evolved from a street-level operation into a sprawling, multi-state network.

The Fallout:

With nearly 2,800 members arrested, authorities are now left with the critical task of ensuring that no cells remain operational. While the operation was a major success, many questions remain:

• Was every cell neutralized?

• Could hidden members regroup and rebuild the empire?

• What secrets about the gang’s U.S. operations still lie buried in the seized files?

As the investigation continues, the FBI, ICE, and their partners are piecing together the full extent of MS-13’s operations. They are also exploring potential links between the gang’s activities and other organized criminal enterprises, both within the U.S. and internationally.

This historic operation has dealt a major blow to one of the most dangerous gangs in the world, but the fight is far from over.