RIVERSIDE – A November 9, 2017 California Department of Justice operation targeting the Mexican mafia and drug cartel resulted in the arrest of 47 suspects; the seizure of 36 firearms, including assault weapons; and the seizure of 12 pounds of methamphetamine, three pounds of heroin, 120 pounds of marijuana, 60 pounds of cocaine, and $35,000 in criminal proceeds, all a part of a takedown of gang members in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties.
“This type of law enforcement work is extremely dangerous,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona. “I am grateful to our DOJ special agents who risk it all as they target some of the most dangerous gang members in this state. It’s work that protects all of us.”
The alleged criminal activities included extortion, the solicitation to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, illegal firearms possession, narcotics trafficking, and assaults, for the benefit of the Mexican mafia.
“There's nothing more important for any family than securing the peace of mind that the neighborhood our children play in and that we work in is safe. We took a step in that direction with today's arrest of gang members and seizure of firearms and drugs in Southern California,” said Attorney General Xavier Becerra. “Today’s bust is a prime example of law enforcement working together at all levels to put criminals behind bars.”
The operation was the product of a joint investigation by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Investigation, Special Operations Unit (SOU), the Inland Crackdown Allied Task Force, the Riverside Police Department, and the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.
With the help of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the SOU obtained approximately 30 felony arrest warrants.
The criminal intelligence obtained during this investigation has been shared with other law enforcement agencies in California and in other states to help combat criminal street gangs.
