SAN DIEGO, CA — Thirty alleged gang members and associates have been charged in a federal investigation into an open-air crack cocaine market in San Diego.
Federal officials said 28 defendants were arrested Wednesday during a coordinated operation involving more than 350 law enforcement personnel and 21 search warrants on homes and vehicles in San Diego. Two defendants remained at large.
"With these 30 indictments, the message is simple: San Diego is a paradise, but it's not a gangster's paradise," U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said in a statement.
The market, located in the 2900 block of Imperial Avenue and allegedly operated by West Coast Crips members and associates, was under surveillance for more than a year, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. An estimated 20 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of at least $550,000, was sold at the market weekly.
According to court documents, the market functioned as both a retail outlet and a wholesale hub, supplying users directly while also feeding a network of low-level dealers who redistributed the drugs in various other areas of the city, including East Village, Logan Heights and Sherman Heights.
The investigation resulted in the seizure of more than 11 pounds of cocaine, more than $14,000 in cash, two handguns and a money-counting device, officials said.
Authorities also linked the alleged operation to violent activity, including a January shooting near the market that injured at least two people.
The defendants face federal charges related to drug trafficking and conspiracy.
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