'Major takedown' targets members of Glassell Park's Drew Street gang
In an early morning raid, more than 500 local, state and federal investigators swarm the Northeast Los Angeles neighborhood to arrest dozens of reputed members of the Avenues gang clique.
In a sweeping crackdown on a notorious street gang, more than 500 federal, state and local investigators, including 10 SWAT teams, swarmed northeast Los Angeles before dawn this morning to arrest dozens of alleged members of the Avenues gang.
The focus, authorities said, was on the gang's Drew Street clique, which has kept tenacious control over a Glassell Park neighborhood despite a series of efforts by federal and local law enforcement agencies over the years.
"This is a major case and a major takedown this morning," said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office.
Gangs: An article in Thursday's Section A about a gang sweep in Glassell Park should have noted that the 10-month investigation that resulted in the arrests of 28 was led by a Los Angeles task force of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
By 8 a.m., authorities arrested 46 people, 28 of whom are named in the indictment. The others were taken into custody on other charges. Another 30 people named in the indictment already were in custody, police said.
In all, the federal racketeering indictment names more than 70 people and is scheduled to be unsealed later this morning.
"It reads like a crime novel," Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz said of the indictment. "Witness intimidation, drive-by shootings, hate crimes, you name it."
This morning's sting was the culmination of a 10-month investigation.
"These thugs have been preying on this community for generations. This was designed to send a powerful message and we sent that message this morning," said LAPD Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger. Paysinger said neighbors of the Drew Street gang had "lived so long in fear they don't know what freedom means."
Senior Assistant City Atty. Bruce Riordan, who has prosecuted Mexican Mafia and 18th Street gang members, called the allegations against the Drew Street gang "the worst witness intimidation and tampering I've seen."
He said the gang's tactics had effectively silenced neighbors and kept witnesses from telling police what they knew. Some incidents date back to 2003 and include allegations that gang members tried to murder police officers.
The action this morning included abatements served on the owners of 10 houses or apartment buildings, who are now required to remove gang members from their buildings.
Two children were taken into custody by child welfare officials. Seized in the raids were 23 weapons, as well as unspecified amounts of heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and cash. Police used flash-bang devices and forced entries while serving the search warrants.
