Nearly 700 arrested in anti-drug gang operation: ICE

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WASHINGTON | Tue Mar 1, 2011 2:39pm EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Law enforcement agencies arrested nearly 700 gang members and associates from December through February during an anti-drug trafficking operation dubbed Project Southern Tempest, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said on Tuesday.

ICE said those arrested came from 133 different gangs and the operation was executed in 168 American cities.

Through such operations ICE "will continue to disrupt and dismantle these transnational gangs and rid our streets not only of drug dealers, but the violence associated with the drug trade," ICE Director John Morton said in a statement.

The transnational street gangs targeted by the operation were also associated with human and weapons smuggling and trafficking, among other crimes, ICE said.

In addition to the arrests, agents seized 86 firearms, eight pounds of methamphetamine, 30 pounds of marijuana, one pound of cocaine, and more than $70,000.

The majority of those arrested were foreign nationals, from 24 countries.

(Reporting by Wendell Marsh; Editing by Jerry Norton)
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Comments (3)
VA_Magoo wrote:
Can I to assume then that the term “foreign national” is the new catch phrase for illegal aliens? See if we catch foreign nationals on our soil from 23 different countries, we obviously are not profiling any single group.

700 down, 10 million to go. For once I say Thank You ICE!

Mar 01, 2011 3:05pm EST  --  Report as abuse
lockandload wrote:
Has anyone told Barack and Janet about this yet? They might be extremely disturbed that the propaganda they preach about our “secure border” just backfired. They are the ones that need to be arrested for treason and not upholding their responsibilities to protect our borders. Just like the cowardly democrats in WI.

Mar 01, 2011 3:39pm EST  --  Report as abuse
ROWnine wrote:
Dealers in poison. Convict them and fry them. Damn the electric bill! Do not send them to our Federal training camp/prisons and put them back on the streets fed, rested, beefed up, better trained and connected. These mass murderers kill addicts, their families their communities and our a huge threat to our national security and that just the cold hard facts of life. Our governors need to govern. If they did not take the job to protect and defend they should bow out.

Mar 01, 2011 11:20pm EST  --  Report as abuse
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