Operation Safe Harbor Leads to 27 Arrests of Mexican Mafia & Cartel Connected LA Gang Members

"Socalj" for Borderland Beat

27 suspected gang members have been arrested and nearly 150 pounds of drugs have been seized as part of a months-long investigation into organized crime in Los Angeles.

30 weapons were also seized and the drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and PCP were confiscated during a three-month investigation of alleged Mexican Mafia and cartel-affiliated street gangs in the Harbor area of Los Angeles County, officials announced Monday.

Those arrested as a result of the multi-agency effort, dubbed "Operation Safe Harbor", have been referred to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for potential filing of felony charges, including transportation of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale, conspiracy to commit crime and felon in possession of a firearm, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

"Today, we are sending a strong message that organized criminal enterprises cannot stand up to the power of good law enforcement work," Bonta said.

As a result of the overall investigation, in total, 27 arrests were made, 30 firearms seized, and illegal narcotics seized including 72,115 fentanyl pills, 1.7 pounds of fentanyl powder, 143 pounds of methamphetamine, 4.7 pounds of heroin, 1.9 pounds of cocaine, 1.7 of pounds PCP, and $36,800.

"These arrests are the result of a continuing investigation into Mexican Mafia and cartel-affiliated street gangs which have plagued the Harbor area with violent crime, drugs, and illegal guns," said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. "The FBI will continue to devote resources to this strong law enforcement partnership with the goal of restoring safe streets for law-abiding citizens."

"Today, we've taken dangerous drugs and weapons off our streets and protected the people of Los Angeles from the ongoing threats that this group caused. I thank our DOJ agents and law enforcement partners for the hours of work they have put into this case and for their work to make California safer. Tonight, Los Angeles families can live and sleep with greater peace of mind as a result of this investigation."

Bonta declined to provide the name of the “violent criminal street organization” the defendants are suspected of belonging to, indicating he did not wish to give them notoriety.

At the conclusion of the investigation which began on June 1, 2023 agents carried out a large-scale operation last Thursday, serving seven search warrants, making 10 felony arrests, recovering 14 firearms, including 2 ghost guns and 1 short-barreled rifle, seizing $4,000, and intercepting various amounts of narcotics, Bonta said.

In addition, two stolen vehicles were recovered. Additionally, the investigation uncovered other parts of the criminal enterprise, resulting in additional arrests and investigations in communities throughout California including in Tulare and Kern counties.

"I'm thankful for the collaborative efforts of our federal and state partners in keeping guns and drugs off of our streets," said Michel Moore, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. "Through these partnerships, we are best able to serve the people of Los Angeles and beyond. We will not stop looking for those who are selling these deadly products."

Sources CBS News, CA DOJ, LA Times