208 Busted In N.J. In Major U.S. Murder, Drugs And Gang Sweep

A six-week nationwide gang operation led by federal investigators led to 208 arrests in New Jersey - and 1,378 arrests across the United States.

One of the largest federal gang busts gang members and associates involved in transnational criminal activity, including drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, human smuggling and sex trafficking, murder and racketeering, according to a release from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations unit.

HSI said it arrested 104 gang members, in New Jersey and arrested 58 on immigration violations. The Union County Prosecutor's Office and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office arrested Crips associates Olufemi Odeyemi and Brenda Jackson on April 7 the for possession and distribution of heroin in Irvington, according to the release.

Search warrants of Jackson’s vehicle and Odeyemi’s residence yielded 2.8 kilograms of raw heroin. No other names were released in the operation.

Of the 1,378 total arrested nationally, 1,098 were arrested on federal and/or state criminal charges, including 21 individuals arrested on murder related charges and seven for rape and sexual assault charges, the release said.

The remaining 280 were arrested on administrative immigration violations. Of the total arrested, 933 were U.S. citizens and 445 were foreign nationals from 21 countries in South and Central America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Caribbean.

Numerous state, local and federal law enforcement partners, including ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, participated in the HSI-led operation, which ran March 26 to May 6.

“Gangs threaten the safety of our communities, not just in major metropolitan areas but in our suburbs and rural areas, too,” said ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan. “Gang-related violence and criminal activity present an ongoing challenge for law enforcement everywhere. Our efforts to dismantle gangs are much more effective in areas where partnership with local law enforcement is strongest.”

Of the 1,378 total arrested, 1,095 were confirmed as gang members and affiliates – including 137 affiliated with the Bloods, 118 with the Sureños, 104 with MS-13, and 104 with the Crips. The remaining 283 claimed no gang affiliation but were arrested on either criminal or administrative charges, according to the release.

Individuals are confirmed as gang members if they admit membership in a gang; have been convicted of violating any federal or state law criminalizing or imposing civil consequences for gang-related activity; or if they meet certain other criteria such as having tattoos identifying a specific gang or being identified as a gang member by a reliable source, the release said.

Three individuals arrested during this operation previously had deferred action under the federal DACA rule, or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Aliens granted DACA who are found to pose a threat to national security or public safety may have their deferred action terminated at any time and the Department of Homeland Security may seek their removal from the United States.

Since the start of DACA in 2012, DHS has terminated deferred action for approximately 1,500 recipients due to criminality or gang affiliation concerns.

Ten individuals arrested during this operation crossed the border as unaccompanied minors. Nine of the 10 were confirmed as gang members, eight of whom were MS-13 gang members.

During this operation, HSI and its partner law enforcement agencies seized 238 firearms; various narcotics including 790.15 ounces of cocaine, 546.96 ounces of methamphetamine, 113.42 ounces of heroin, 1.59 ounces of fentanyl, and 8,019.46 ounces of marijuana; and $491,763 in U.S currency, according to the release.

Enforcement actions occurred around the country, with the greatest activity taking place in the HSI Houston, HSI New York, HSI Atlanta, and HSI Newark areas.

Enforcement actions conducted during the operation include:

• HSI Washington, D.C., administratively arrested 10 members of MS-13, and criminally arrested one member of MS-13, on April 26 at a stash house in Falls Church, Virginia. HSI and local law enforcement partners were originally surveying the house because they had received reports about alleged sex trafficking taking place at the residence. Two of the individuals had outstanding orders of removal. The Fairfax County Police Department and ERO assisted with the arrests.
• HSI San Antonio (Texas), working in conjunction with the San Antonio Police Department Violent Crimes task force initiative, arrested Gilbert Vasquez III, an associate of the Tango Orejon Gang in San Antonio on April 5. A search of the house found cocaine, meth, heroin, four handguns – one of which was stolen – and over $48,000 in cash. Three other subjects found in the house were also arrested including Brent Reum, a known member of the Tango Orejon Gang.
• HSI San Diego (California) Border Enforcement Security Taskforce (BEST) arrested 23 gang members and associates on April 25-27. They also seized 17 firearms, meth, marijuana, over $25,000 in U.S. currency and several thousand rounds of various calibers of ammunition. The HSI-led investigation targeted several documented street gangs working together, across territorial lines, to promote their criminal enterprises. All subjects arrested are being prosecuted federally for violations of various narcotics, money laundering, weapons and criminal street gang connected offenses. The U.S. Marshals, San Diego Police Department, Chula Vista Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Prisons assisted HSI with this case.

This operation is the latest example of ICE’s ongoing efforts, begun in 2005 under Operation Community Shield, to target violent gang members and their associates, eradicate the violence they inflict upon our communities and stop the cash flow to transnational organized crime groups, according to the release.

Since 2005, HSI special agents working in conjunction with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies have made more than 47,000 gang-related arrests.

To report suspicious activity, call ICE's 24-hour toll-free hotline at: 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or visit www.ice.gov.

ICE photo