They’re not sending their best, the Gringo Hunters likely say. They’re sending their rapist. They’re sending their murderers. They’re sending their pedophiles. And that’s who this elite police unit tracks down: fugitive Americans.
Officially known as the International Liaison Unit, the Gringo Hunters are ten men and two women responsible for hunting down a slew of criminals who fled to Mexico to avoid American justice. In the 20 years of its existence, the unit has captured and deported to the United States more than 1,600 wanted individuals.
As the Washington Post explains, the unit doesn’t fulfill extradition orders from the American government. Instead, it relies on information from the FBI and other US law enforcement agencies which get tips on a fugitive.
The unit has taken in Playboy models, Catholic priests, professional athletes, C-list celebrities and ex-Marines. Their most well-known taken down: Anthony “Lucky” Luciano, who tried to escape by carjacking a woman and drive away shooting at the unit’s members. The police shot back, killing Luciano.
When looking for gringos, the hunters review some telltale clues: Americans will wear shorts and flip flops, unlike locals. They won’t speak Spanish. And they keep updating their Facebook pages, sometimes making it easy to track them down.