47 people arrested, guns and drugs seized in gang sweep

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (FOX 11 / CNS) - State agents, police and sheriff's investigators arrested 47 people and seized weapons and drugs on Thursday in what was described as a gang takedown targeting Mexican Mafia and drug cartel members in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The arrests were made after agents working with Riverside police obtained 30 felony arrest warrants alleging such offenses as solicitation to commit murder, assault with a deadly weapon, narcotics trafficking, firearms violations, extortion and conspiracy for the benefit of a criminal street gang, according to California Attorney General Javier Becerra.

In addition to the arrests, investigators seized three dozen firearms -- including assault-type weapons, 12 pounds of methamphetamine, three pounds of heroin, 120 pounds of marijuana, 60 pounds of cocaine and $35,000 in "criminal proceeds," according to Becerra.

Those targeted in the raids -- the result of a joint investigation by the Special Operations Unit of the California Department of Justice's Bureau of Investigation, the Inland Crackdown Allied Task Force, the Riverside Police Department and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department -- included
"suspected high-ranking Mexican Mafia members or associates," Becerra said.

None of the suspects' names were released.

"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," Becerra said. "We took a step in that direction with today's arrest of gang members and seizure of firearms and drugs in Southern California. Today's bust is a prime example of law enforcement working together at all levels to
put criminals behind bars."

Information gathered by investigators has been shared with other law enforcement agencies in California and beyond, he said.