The "Mexican Mafia" in Southern California faced a crackdown in Orange County that resulted in 85 arrests, including "middle management" gang leaders, authorities told the Orange County Register.
Called "Operation Scarecrow," the arrests were a joint effort with the California Department of Justice, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the California Highway Patrol, the newspaper said. The arrests targeted the street gang Sureños and its alleged criminal activities directed by the Mexican Mafia, per the Register.
Officials told the newspaper that the operation collected 36 firearms, 14 pounds of methamphetamine and three pounds of heroin.
"The success of this operation highlights the importance of collaborative partnerships amongst law enforcement agencies," Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens said in a statement released by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
"The shared communication amongst our respective agencies has resulted in the removal of significant threats from our community. My hope is that these actions will send a message to criminal gangs that you are not welcome in Orange County," Hutchens continued.
The arrests are the result of a three-month investigation as the California Department of Justice and California Highway Patrol provided statewide enforcement to combat violent career criminals, gangs, and organized crime groups, along with intrastate drug traffickers, the statement said.
"Apprehending dangerous criminals is my number-one priority," Becerra said in a statement. "We will hold accountable those who terrorize our communities and jeopardize public safety.
"The California Department of Justice will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to successfully disrupt and dismantle gang activity in the Golden State. I especially want to applaud the bravery and outstanding performance of the men and women involved in this operation," Becerra continued.
The Los Angeles Times reported in February that street gangs account for more than 60 percent of the city's homicides. President Donald Trump had accused California law enforcement of being soft on street gangs and suggested he might pull immigration agents out of the state, spurring a push back from local law enforcement, the newspaper said.
Trump has pointed to crimes by the gang MS-13 – which has ties to El Salvador with its origins in Los Angeles – as a need to crack down on illegal immigration, the Times wrote.
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