*** In New York City "many of the underage prostitutes are managed by units of the Bloods gang," and "in other cases, the teenagers are undocumented aliens, smuggled into the country by Mexican and Chinese gangs":
"They're forced into prostitution," said Christa Stuart, coordinator of the New York State Anti-Trafficking Unit of the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. "They think they're going to work at a regular job, but then the gang puts them to work," she said. "We had a 16-year-old Chinese girl smuggled into New York City who thought she was going to work at a garment factory. Instead, she was moved from one apartment to another by a pimp who beat her.
*** Sudanese gangs on the rise in Omaha, NE.
*** Forty-three suspected members of the Sureno gang Poorside have been arrested in Watsonville, CA following a year-long investigation dubbed Operation Groundhog: "The majority of the arrests were for trafficking and possessing guns, gang participation, drug charges and violating probation terms. Several men were arrested more than once over the course of the year, according to the Police Department."
*** In Santa Maria, CA police arrested 35 suspected associates and members of the West Park Street Gang on drug and weapons charges.
