FBI Arrests 16 Mexican Mafia Associates Across Southern California

The FBI, in coordination with multiple law enforcement agencies including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Imperial County Sheriff's Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service, has arrested five suspected associates of the Mexican Mafia across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties. This action is part of an ongoing federal investigation that has so far led to the arrest or indictment of 16 individuals connected to the gang, facing charges such as operating illegal gambling establishments, money laundering, and methamphetamine importation. Authorities seized firearms, drugs, electronic devices, gambling machines, and large sums of cash during the execution of multiple search warrants related to the case. Mark Dargis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Diego Field Office, emphasized that removing violent criminals and seizing their resources is a top priority to protect communities and ensure public safety. The operation involved SWAT teams and agents from various jurisdictions, highlighting a broad, cooperative effort to dismantle the organized crime network and disrupt its illegal activities across Southern California. Officials regard these arrests as a significant step in tackling violent criminal enterprises in the region.