You’ve read the shocking headlines documenting their brutality.

But what is driving the rapid spread of the ultra violent gang MS-13, which has infected big cities and small towns across the country? National Geographic’s Explorer and Lisa Ling take you deep inside a merciless world hidden in plain view—the shadowy culture of MS-13. It is an organization that recruits the most desperate, including children, and twists them into hardened criminals capable of the most heinous crimes. World’s Most Dangerous Gang reveals how MS-13 works from those who know it best—detailing its extreme culture and rituals through revealing interviews with active members, those struggling to break free and investigators dedicated to stemming the increasing tide of violence that now spills beyond our borders.

• Fact File: Uncover the History of Gangs in America