Federal and state law enforcement on Thursday announced the arrests of nearly two dozen gang members wanted in connection with the smuggling and distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl in the West Texas and New Mexico.
Jaime Esparza, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, said during a news conference in El Paso that the suspects are members of, or had ties to, a local gang called Chuco Tango. The gang is also known for human smuggling, kidnapping and dealing in machine-gun conversion devices.
“Some of these defendants, if convicted, will face up to 20 years in prison or five to 40 years in prison,” Esparza said. “Some will face from ten years to life in prison. Others will have to serve a minimum of 15 years.”
The investigation that led to Thursday’s arrests began in November and was spearheaded by the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The early-morning raids were conducted in El Paso County and New Mexico. More than 200 law enforcement officials, including officers from San Diego, Phoenix, Albuquerque and Las Vegas, took part in the execution of the search warrants, said Britton Boyd, the FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge.
The suspects are all U.S. citizens, a federal spokesperson said.
The arrests are part of an effort called Operation Rockwater, which was initiated four years ago by the FBI and the Texas Anti-Gang Center, Boyd said.
“The FBI's portion of Operation Rockwater has resulted in 44 federal and state arrests, 65 drug seizures including cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine, 45 search warrants, 21 firearm seizures, the recovery of military grade explosives,” he said.
El Paso County District Attorney Bill Hicks said some of the gang members also face state charges related to Chuco Tango’s activities.
“All of these charges will be zealously prosecuted in our office. I'm looking forward to continuing our cooperation with our federal partners, continuing the cooperation that we have with the U.S. Attorney's office,” he said.
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