LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement May 17 arrested seven members and associates of Los Angeles Harbor area street gangs — including from the two largest gangs, Westside Wilmas and Eastside Wilmas — on federal charges alleging the trafficking of firearms and pound quantities of narcotics such as fentanyl.
Those arrested today are among 10 members and associates of street gangs who are named across three criminal complaints filed in federal court. One defendant is in state custody, and law enforcement continues to search for two defendants. Authorities arrested an additional four defendants on state charges.
In relation to the charges unsealed May 17, law enforcement seized approximately 23 firearms, 26.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 23,000 fentanyl pills, 2.4 kilograms of powdered fentanyl, and one kilogram of cocaine.
The arrests are the latest development in a violence reduction initiative started in late 2020 by a joint FBI and Los Angeles Police Department task force that targeted gang activity in the Harbor area. Prior to the May 17 arrests, 11 Harbor area gang members and associates were charged with federal drug, firearms and Hobbs Act robbery crimes. Three of those defendants already have been convicted and sentenced, receiving prison sentences of between 10 and 20 years.
The seven federal defendants arrested May 17 are charged in complaints filed May 10 with various federal crimes, including distribution of controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to an affidavit filed with one of the complaints, the task force has investigated influential members and associates of the Eastside Wilmas, Westside Wilmas and other Harbor area gangs who were suspected of being involved in a host of illegal activities. Both Eastside and Westside Wilmas are based in Wilmington, Los Angeles.
In its press release, the US Department of Justice states the Harbor area gangs, including the Wilmas, commit crimes under the direction and authority of the Mexican Mafia, a California prison gang that controls many of the Latino street gangs in Southern California.
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