Signs and Indicators of Human Trafficking Victims and of Perpetrators

Be alert for signs that may indicate trafficking in persons is taking place and follow the appropriate procedures for reporting this type of incident.

Physical Red Flags:

Serious illness, injury, or impairment (drug abuse or addiction)
Signs of physical abuse (i.e., bruises, cuts, and/or broken bones)
Signs of self-harm: e.g., scars from repeated cutting
Appear to be underweight and taking meals in irregular intervals
Eating really fast as if they haven't eaten in a while or are unsure when they'll eat again
Barely eating (esp. if they look malnourished) because they are already used to not eating much
Avoiding medical services, or other service providers
Tattoos or other kinds of branding indicating ownership

Social/Environmental Red Flags:

Homelessness, couch surfing, no address
No ID (birth certificate, Social Security number, Driver’s License, Passport)
Unsuitable/cramped living space; living with employer
Working long or excessive hours; paid very low or no wages
Fast-moving romantic relationship that raises red flags
Involvement in prostitution or any other form of commercial sex (strip club, escort, etc.)
Loss of connection with friends and family
Someone else has authority over IDs, passport, social security card, etc.
Constantly checking in with someone and/or updating them on their whereabouts

Behavioral Red Flags:

Disoriented, unable to identify whereabouts, unable to identify family and friends
Wearing inappropriate clothing for the season or place
Clear demonstration or articulation of fear, agitation, anger or other hyper-emotion
Victim not able to speak for themselves or seem like what they say is "scripted"
Unsure about future, goals, education, etc.
Wearing the same clothes for multiple days at a time
Unable to make eye contact when asked questions that address these types of concerns
Hypervigilance, constantly watching their surroundings

Emotional Red Flags:

Angry
Hostile
Hardened
Agitated
Frightened
Silent
Anxious

Hypervigilant
Depressed
Suicidal Ideation
Suicidal
Eating Disorder behaviors
Addictions

Traffickers prey on victims with little or no social safety net. They look to exploit victims for cheap labor by preying on individuals in vulnerable situations due to economic hardship, illegal immigration status, political instability, natural disasters, and other causes. Traffickers also exploit people who are vulnerable because of their age. It is important to note that legal migrants can also be vulnerable to trafficking.

Vulnerabilities associated with trafficking victims include:

Poverty or economic hardship
Political instability or armed conflict
Natural disasters
Childhood abuse or neglect
Children in the foster care and/or juvenile justice systems
Runaway and homeless youth
Victims of violence
Migrant workers
Undocumented immigrants
Racial, ethnic, and other minorities
Physical or cognitive disabilities
History of substance abuse

Human trafficking is based on the deception and exploitation of innocent, unsuspecting people.

Common methods used to traffic humans include:

Seduction and Romance: One of the most common methods of human trafficking is the use of seduction and romance. In these cases, a trafficker seduces someone in order to exploit them for commercial sex or forced labor. Traffickers form romantic relationships with their victims; however, the relationship quickly turns into an emotionally abusive one. Once the bond is formed, blackmail and violence are often used to intimidate victims into compliance.
False Job Advertisements: Traffickers entice victims with false job advertisements or travel opportunities. They post job opportunities on legitimate websites, using a registered business as a front and target places where they know people are looking for work or ways to leave, in countries experiencing economic, political, or civil instability. These jobs are often in industries such as the hospitality or tourism industry, construction, agricultural work, mining or other labor-intensive work.
Sale by Family: In some areas of the world, unimaginable levels of poverty, debt, desperation, and displacement cause families to sell their children to traffickers. It is also the pressure to alleviate these hardships and bring some money to the family that causes some families to sell a child into modern slavery. Traffickers look for families in countries where recruiting from poor families might go unnoticed.
Recruitment by Other Victims of Trafficking: In some cases, other victims may recruit new people into the trafficking network. They may earn ‘commission’ from the traffickers for each new person they recruit or be promised greater freedoms if they do so.
Abduction: Although other methods using trickery and fraud are more common, traffickers also kidnap and abduct victims.

Here are some common visible signs and markings of cartels, gangs, and violent transnational or foreign terrorist organizations who are known for their involvement in human trafficking. Remember that the presence of these visible signs and markings is just one indicator.

Disclaimer: Visible signs and markings (e.g., tattoos) should be considered only one of many potential indicators of human trafficking or gang affiliation. Over-reliance on such indicators risks stereotyping and may result in both over- and under-inclusion.

MS-13 Tattoos

Select each image if you'd like to see a larger version.

Tattoo	Meaning	Context
"MS" or "MS-13" Letters	Identifies allegiance to the gang	On the face, neck, or chest
The Number 13	Refers to 13th letter, "M" for "Mara"	On fists, brows, forearms
Devil's Mask / Horned Skull	Represents evil, chaos, fear	On back, chest
Three Dots ("Mi Vida Loca")	"My Crazy Life" - life of crime and gang loyalty	On hands, around eyes
Hand Sign Tattoos	Tribal unity; often shows MS-13 hand signal	Inked on palms, fingers
Tear Drop	Denotes murder(s) committed	Tattooed near the eye
Aztec Sun	Ancestral strength, pride	Shoulders, upper backs
Spider web	Sometimes has MS 13 or 13 in middle	Elbows, shoulders

Tren de Aragua Tattoos

Tren de Aragua gang tattoos (pictured here) were part of a DHS bulletin that was shared with federal agents.

Cartel del Noreste

Here are some tattoos and other symbols associated with Cartel del Noreste (formerly known as Los Zetas).

Disclaimer: Visible signs and markings (e.g., tattoos) should be considered only one of many potential indicators of human trafficking or gang affiliation. Over-reliance on such indicators risks stereotyping and may result in both over- and under-inclusion.

Transnational organized crime groups are involved in human trafficking and human smuggling in the United States. The twelve groups below exploit people and pose a national security threat to America.

The synopses below describe some of the best known and most powerful TCOs involved in human trafficking and human smuggling. These crimes involve the repeated exploitation of human beings for profit. The TCOs mentioned below have operations in the U.S.

1. MS-13

Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, originated in the barrios of Los Angeles during the 1980s and has since grown into one of the most violent criminal organizations in the U.S. Over the years it evolved into a highly organized syndicate operating in the U.S., El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala and even in Europe. Drug trafficking is a main source of income, but they are also involved in human trafficking and human smuggling, arms smuggling, extortion schemes targeting local businesses, contract killings, robbery rings specializing in high-value goods.

2. Chinese Snakeheads

Chinese Snakeheads are gangs found in the Fujian region of China. They smuggle people into resource rich countries such as the U.S., Canada, Western Europe, Australia. One of the biggest Snakehead gangs operating in the U.S. is the Fuk Ching. They ran cargo ships that trafficked thousands of Chinese into the U.S. For years, they were the most powerful Chinese gang in New York, using murder, torture, and extortion as methods of control. A main business is human smuggling and human trafficking. They charge as much as $70,000 per person. Today Snakehead routes include airflights from China to Mexico, Central, or South America, then north into the U.S.

3. Russian Bratva

The Russian Bratva, also known as the Russian Mafia, is a vast network of criminal organizations operating globally. The organization’s strength lies in its adaptability; members often infiltrate legitimate businesses to mask their illicit operations including extortion, protection rackets, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, prostitution, and human trafficking. More recently, they began running international cybercrime operations including phishing attacks, ransomware deployment, and financial frauds targeting both individuals and institutions.

4. Sinaloa Cartel

The Sinaloa Cartel, headquartered in Culiacan Sinaloa, Mexico is one of the key drug trafficking organizations in the world. It uses violence and strategic alliances. They use tunnels as well as land and water routes, along the U.S.-Mexico border which facilitate drug trafficking, arms trafficking, human smuggling, and human trafficking. They form alliances with other criminal organizations both domestically and internationally that allow them to maintain control over supply chains of drugs and people.

5. The Yakuza

The Yakuza, also known as the Japanese mafia, dates to the Edo period (1603-1868) in Japan, embedding itself into Japanese society. They have a strict code of conduct and operate under a hierarchical structure similar to that found in traditional samurai culture. They are involved in illegal activities including drug trafficking, extortion rackets, human trafficking and human smuggling, arms smuggling, gambling pachinko parlors, and real estate scams. They also are involved in legitimate businesses such as construction and entertainment that they use as fronts for illegal activities.

6. Chinese Triads

The term "Triad" is a reference to “Three United Society,” the original three Chinese secret societies. They have evolved into highly organized set of international crime networks involved in many illegal activities including drug trafficking, human trafficking and human smuggling, money laundering, counterfeit goods, extortion schemes, protection rackets, and cybercrime. They are based in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and mainland China but now operate in Chinese communities in the United States, Canada, Australia, and parts of Europe.

7. Hells Angels

The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is one of the best-known outlaw motorcycle gangs in the world. Founded in 1948 in California, it is now a global organization with chapters in at least 65 countries. The gang is a multimillion-dollar enterprise from its involvement in drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, extortion, murder, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, and human smuggling. They are mainly involved in manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine across North America and Europe through alliances with other organized crime groups.

8. 'Ndrangheta

The ‘Ndrangheta is a transnational crime organization from the Calabria region of southern Italy. Unlike its more well-known counterpart, the Sicilian Mafia, they operate out of familial loyalty making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to infiltrate. According to Interpol, they control an estimated 80% of Europe’s cocaine market, making billions annually. They work with South American drug cartels and have routes into Europe, and recently, North America. They infiltrate local communities through hospitality and construction industries and use them as fronts. Recently, they have become involved in migrant smuggling and human trafficking.

9. Los Zetas

Los Zetas, originally part of the Mexican Army's elite special forces, have grown to become one of Mexico’s most dangerous and ruthless drug cartels. First formed to guard the Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas broke away and established themselves as an independent criminal organization. They use threats and intimidation including mass killings, beheadings, and torture videos on social media to serve as warnings to anyone who might think about crossing them. They control large parts northeastern Mexico and are involved in drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping for ransom, migrant smuggling, human trafficking, oil theft, and arms smuggling.

10. Black Axe

Highly organized Nigerian confraternities and gangs, the Black Axe claims to be a registered non-partisan, non-religious and non-tribal but over the years they have become feared for their brutal violence and involvement in smuggling drugs, fraud, passport falsification, credit card cloning, and various forms of cybercrime, extortion, murder. More recently they have begun running prostitution rings, human trafficking and migrant smuggling operations. They operate in Europe, America, and Asia. For example, in 2015 a sophisticated car theft ring run by the Black Axe organized crime ring was apprehended in Toronto, Canada. It is thought that many of the 63,000 online scams and sextortion rings operated from Nigeria in the U.S. and Canada involve The Black Axe. According to Interpol, they are forging alliances with the Sicilian Mafia, and other TCOs in Europe to solidify a move into prostitution, drugs, migrant smuggling, human trafficking business.

11. Sicilian Mafia (La Cosa Nostra)

The Sicilian Mafia, also known as La Cosa Nostra, is one of the largest and most well-known criminal organizations in the world. Originating in Italy, it is a secret society bound by codes of loyalty and silence. In the 20th century, the Mafia came to America, establishing strongholds in New York where they began collaborating with other ethnic crime groups. Their power comes from involvement in protection rackets, drug trafficking, extortion, fraud, vote buying, bid rigging, and more recently migrant smuggling, prostitution, and human trafficking. They use brute force to compel people to do their will, but they also gain power through strategic alliances with corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials.

12. Gulf Cartel

Gulf Cartel is one of the oldest organized crime groups in Mexico. Based in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, it controls vast areas of the border. Traditionally known for drug trafficking, in the past ten years it has emerged as a key cartel involved in migrant smuggling and human trafficking. Central Americans who crossed the Rio Grande recently into La Joya, Texas, wore blue bracelets with the logo of the Gulf Cartel, a dolphin, and the word “entregas,” or “deliveries.” One human smuggler who spoke on conditions of anonymity, confirmed the bracelets were a system to designate who has paid for the right to transit through Gulf Cartel territory.