Authorities inaugurate the Transnational Anti Gang Unit
October 5, 2007

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The new Transnational Anti Gang unit was inaugurated on Friday, October 5. The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Ambassador Charles L. Glazer, Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Assistant Director Ken Kaiser, the President of the Legislative Public Safety and Anti Drug Commission Elizardo Gonzalez, Salvadoran Attorney General Félix Garrid Safie, National Civilian Police (PNC) Director Rodrigo Avila, and Salvadoran Security Minister René Figueroa and Vice Minister Astor Escalante. The TAG is part of a four part initiative which will strengthen law enforcement, fugitive arrest, international coordination and information exchange. The creation of this unit was announced earlier this year in El Salvador by the US Attorney General.

The new unit will gather, mantain and analize inteligence information related to the gangs criminal activities. Intelligence information generated by the unit will be shared with the United Status and can also be shared with other governments of the region. The TAG creation has been possible thanks to the cooperation of the FBI and the Department of State.

FBI agents will train, share information and provide any support needed to raise the PNC detectives capacity to identify and arrest the worst criminals. A prosecutor from the Attorney General’s office will also be assigned to this unit in order to handle the court cases generated by the TAG unit.