A crackdown Thursday on a “violent criminal street gang” in Tucson was years in the making, with police attributing various armed robberies, aggravated assaults, shootings and drug crimes to the group.
Nine people were arrested by the FBI’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force after 11 search warrants were served throughout Pima and Santa Cruz counties.
The gang, believed to have originated in Tucson, is known to distribute fentanyl and other drugs, officials said.
In a press conference on Friday, FBI Assistant Special Agent In Charge Steven Patterson said the investigation into the gang began 18 months ago, though the city of Tucson has been aware of the group for a number of years.
Capt. James Wakefield, who oversees the Tucson Police Department’s criminal investigation division, said they started to see a series of armed robberies, aggravated assaults specifically with guns and shootings that brought the gang to their attention.
During the 18-month period, the task force and TPD seized over 40,000 fentanyl-laced pills, 20 weapons, thousands of dollars in cash and other illegal narcotics, Patterson said.
Authorities would not name the individuals arrested or provide information on the charges they are facing, citing the ongoing investigation.
Along with TPD and the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations; the Drug Enforcement Agency; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Pima County Sheriff’s Department; and the Sierra Vista Police Department helped with Thursday’s operation
Tucson police Chief Chad Kasmar said that it is “absolutely critical” that the community works with law enforcement to be good witnesses and provide them with information to solve crimes in a timely fashion.
“We’re all driven by data investigations, but that comes with the community either calling in a crime, or there’s a variety of different means that the community can communicate with us and say, ‘Hey, I’m, seeing a trend’ or ‘Somebody moved in and something’s not right,’” Kasmar said. “They know their neighborhoods. They know when there’s a change or difference.”
Assistant Chief John Strader said that moving forward, the community can expect to see the same level of teamwork and engagement with federal partners like the FBI to go after violent groups that intend to do harm.
