Ms 13

National Police arrested multiple suspected members of MS-13 and Pandilla 18 across Honduras during coordinated operations that yielded firearms, over 300 pounds of marijuana, and other evidence linked to drug trafficking and extortion.

Congress President Tomás Zambrano announced plans to push through legal reforms allowing gang tattoos—those linked to MS-13 and Pandilla 18—to serve as sufficient grounds for prosecution, arguing the measure targets only criminal members and would help overcome witness intimidation in high-crime areas.

Police arrested three suspected MS-13 members, including a 17-year-old, during a raid in Choloma and seized two pistols, a revolver, prohibited ammunition, and two tablets allegedly used for surveillance.

Authorities have charged 45 people—23 linked to MS-13, 19 to Barrio 18, and three to Cartel del Diablo—with membership in terrorist organizations following raids between September 21 and October 16; 25 have been formally indicted and 20 await hearings.

Congress is advancing reforms to criminal codes that would allow gang-related tattoos—including numbers 13 and 18, letters MS, and associated symbols—to serve as evidence in prosecutions of members of MS-13, Barrio 18, and Cártel del Diablo, which were recently declared terrorist organizations.

Military police in Naco, Cortés, arrested a 42-year-old man allegedly affiliated with MS-13 and seized 244 packets of suspected crack cocaine and powder cocaine during a patrol operation.

Police arrested Aldair Torres Romero, 21, in Concepción del Norte, Santa Bárbara, on suspicion of coordinating drug distribution points and ordering homicides as an MS-13 member.

Police arrested a man suspected of MS-13 membership in Tegucigalpa's Dependencia neighborhood and seized six packets of cocaine, 18 packets of crack, seven packets of marijuana, and 300 lempiras in cash.

Police arrested Josué Antonio García, 18, in El Progreso on suspicion of drug trafficking and seized cocaine, crack, marijuana, and cash; authorities say he is an alleged MS-13 member.

Honduras's National Police director says major leaders of MS-13, Barrio 18, and the Devil's Cartel remain at large or direct criminal operations from prison, with no top MS-13 chiefs arrested in four years despite U.S. rewards of up to $10 million for their capture.

Police arrested José Adrián Sierra Flores, 24, known as "El Negro," a suspected MS-13 member accused of drug trafficking, during an operation in Comayagüela as part of Operation Shield of Honduras.

Military police arrested Nelson Antonio Gómez Licona and Carlos David Portillo Rivera in Chamelecón, seizing cocaine, crack, marijuana, and 14,600 lempiras (about $585) in cash during separate operations.

Honduras's anti-narcotics directorate, aided by military police, carried out four court-authorized raids in Cortés on September 5 against suspected MS-13 members, seizing 3 kg of cocaine, firearms, 11 phones, six vehicles, and about L7,500 in cash, and arrested one suspect.

Military Police arrested a suspected MS-13 member in the Smith neighborhood of Comayagüela on suspicion of drug trafficking, seizing cocaine, crack, marijuana, and cash.

Police arrested a 33-year-old man known as 'El Guero' in San Pedro Sula on suspicion of being a sicario (hired killer) and coordinator of MS-13's contract-killing operations in the city; he was found with cocaine, crack, ammunition, and a firearm, and has a 14-year criminal history dating to a 2009 homicide.

A court in Tegucigalpa has stalled for 18 months on two appeals challenging the pretrial detention of four men accused of the July 2020 disappearance of five Garífuna community leaders from Triunfo de la Cruz, with prosecutors filing a motion to force a ruling.

Police are investigating an alleged letter circulating in Tegucigalpa attributed to MS-13 that claims the gang has ceased extortion activities and urges merchants and transport workers to report anyone demanding illegal payments under its name.

A federal indictment in New York accuses Yulan Andony Archaga Carías, alias 'Porky', of running MS-13 in Honduras as a criminal enterprise that smuggled cocaine to the US, rented hitmen to drug traffickers, supplied machine guns, and ordered murders of rivals and disloyal gang members.

Police arrested a 20-year-old suspected MS-13 member accused of distributing cocaine, marijuana, and crack in El Progreso, Yoro, seizing drugs and a cellphone.

The anti-extortion and counterterrorism division arrested a man known as "El Matata," allegedly an MS-13 gang leader in the Sula Valley, seizing a firearm and cocaine with an illicit market value of over 750,000 lempiras (about $30,000).

Police arrested a man known as "Fugitivo" or "Pechuga," an alleged MS-13 member, in El Progreso and seized drugs found in his possession.

Authorities are offering more than L410 million (about $16.4 million) in rewards for information leading to the arrest of ten Hondurans and one U.S. citizen, including two MS-13 leaders sought by the FBI for drug trafficking, murder, and kidnapping.

US authorities deported Isaías José Rodríguez Manzanares, identified as an MS-13 member with ties to Mexico's Cártel del Noreste, after he pleaded guilty to a reduced drug possession charge and served a two-year sentence in Texas.

Police arrested a 31-year-old man accused of distributing cocaine for MS-13 in the El Progreso municipality of Yoro, seizing 16 packets of white powder and 400 lempiras during the operation.

Honduras's new Anti-Extortion and Terrorist Associations Division (DAET) arrested 29 people linked to criminal structures in its first 25 days, including 10 through judicial warrants and 19 caught in the act, mostly suspected MS-13 members.

Honduras's Security Ministry updated its list of ten most-wanted fugitives following a U.S. announcement of increased rewards for information leading to the capture of two senior MS-13 leaders operating in the region.

National Police arrested an active MS-13 gang member in San Lorenzo, Valle, and seized more than 2,900 doses of narcotics during the operation.

National Police arrested a man known as "El Fierro," alleged to be an MS-13 member, in the central region on charges of drug trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm.

Honduras's National Police director warned that tattoo artists who provide services to gangs such as MS-13, the 18th Street Gang, and the Devil's Cartel face arrest and prison sentences if investigations prove their collaboration in illegal activities.

Police arrested Naly Johana Paz Martínez, 44, alias "La Patrona," an alleged MS-13 member who served as a drug supplier across Puerto Cortés neighborhoods, seizing 222 packets of suspected marijuana, cocaine, and crack along with a pickup truck used for distribution.