Security Threat Groups: The Turf War

One of the most prized possessions of a gang is their “turf”. Turf is the area, the territory, the land that gangs use to operate their drug business. The more land, one gang controls, the more they profit and consume more money. Gangs control an area economically to support their gang by buying more weapons and paying individuals to commit illegal crimes. For example, if an owner of a liquor store were to be located in the territory of a gang, the owner can pay the gang to keep the liquor store safe from other gang members or thieves. Also, inside these territories, gangs can traffic drugs. So by controlling a larger area, a specific gang can generate more income by selling to a larger group of drug users.

As gangs expand their turf this usually ignites turf wars. Turf wars are between two or more gangs, fighting over to take full control over a specific area. Gangs use violence and kill as many rival gang members as they could to gain territory. These wars not only harm gang members, but also innocent people as they attack through neighborhood and streets.

Mexico is plagued with turf wars. As Mexico turns into a drug consuming country, gang members are fighting each other in Mexico to control over territory in order to sell what and where in Mexico in which they can produce more money at home (Brice, 2009). In 2008, 5,400 deaths were recorded resulting from turf wars. Some consider turf wars in Mexico as its “civil war” because so much violence and so much damage are being done.

In Mexico, the gang turf war, not only is it affecting residents in Mexico, but also Americans as well. As gang members expand their territory, they will migrate further and soon cross the border killing bystander Americans. The turf war is also a problem for the United States because most of gang members’ customers are Americans. Gang members in Mexico are trafficking drugs to the US and selling drugs to Americans, causing more drugs to enter into the lives of Americans as wells as violence in the community.