article_title name rivals
mexican mafia
 mafia armenian power , sinaloa cartel , mexicana , mexican mafia california prison system , crips , norteños , black guerilla family , Ñetas , latin , kings bloods , texas syndicate , nuestra familia
mexican mafia

the mexican mafia -lrb- spanish : `` mafia mexicana '' -rrb- , also known as la eme -lrb- spanish for `` the m '' -rrb- , is a highly organized mexican american criminal organization in the united states .
despite its name , the mexican mafia did not originate in mexico and is entirely a u.s. criminal prison organization .
sureños , including ms-13 and florencia 13 , use the number 13 to show allegiance to the mexican mafia .
m is the 13th letter of the alphabet .
law enforcement officials report that la eme is the most powerful gang within the california prison system .
government officials state that there are currently 155 -- 300 official members of the mexican mafia with around 990 associates who assist la eme in carrying out its illegal activities in the hopes of becoming full members .
