Houston Area Law Officers Participate In Nationwide Sweep Of Gang Members

HOUSTON, TX — Houston area law enforcement agencies took part in a six-week nationwide sweep that resulted in the arrest of more than 1,300 gang members nationwide, including as many as 200 in Texas, representing gang affiliations in the Crips, MS-13, and the Bloods, federal officials said Thursday.

A total of 1,098 of those arrested were busted on federal and/or state criminal charges, which included 21 arrests for murder-related charges and seven for rape and sexual assault charges. The remaining 280 were arrested on administrative immigration violations. The majority are U.S. citizens, but 445 are foreign nationals from 21 countries.

The nationwide round up represents the largest operation by the Department of Homeland Security targeting gangs. (Want to get daily updates about news and other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Houston Patch morning newsletter.)

The focus, officials said, was to target gangs with an international connection, or those involved in transnational criminal activity.

In Texas, 164 gang members were arrested in Corpus Christi, while 43 others were arrested in the Houston area, officials said.

Read Also: Houston, We Have A Problem: Houston Metro Area Among Top Regions In Gang Activity

Gang activity has been on the rise nationwide, as well as in Texas and the Houston area.

In February, A member of the 52 Hoover Crips shot two Houston police officers who were investigating a string of burglaries in southwest Houston, and in the same month, two admitted MS-13 members were arrested and charged with capital murder and kidnapping.

In January, the Texas Department of Public Safety released an overview of gang activity in Texas that includes threats from terrorism, Mexican Cartels, Human Trafficking and gang activity.

Miguel Alvarez-Florez and Diego Hernandez-Rivera, who came to the U.S. from El Salavador, allegedly admitted to being members of MS-13, and admitted to the satanic killing of a teeange girl in February. Both are in the Harris County Jail on a hold by ICE. (Photo: Harris County Sheriff's Office)

According to the report, MS-13 is gaining influence and membership, and poses the greatest criminal threat because of their relationship with Mexican Cartels.

However, MS-13 is far from the only gang in town.

Other transnational gangs include the Latin Kings and Tango Blast, according to a Houston Chronicle report.
In Houston alone there are more than 350 gangs, with roughly 19,000 members, according to a KPRC report.

Law enforcement officials are urging anyone who suspects gang activity in their areas to be proactive and submit their tip anonymously to stophoustongangs.or

Image: Bryan Kirk, Patch Staff

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