131 Arrested as Police Zero In on L. A. Gangs
A special 200-member police squad swept through South Los Angeles on Friday night and early Saturday, arresting 131 suspected gang members for drug possession, outstanding traffic warrants and other charges.
The police motto for the night was, “There is no law too small to arrest a gang member,” Police Lt. Bruce Hagerty said.
The task force reported that it impounded 68 vehicles and seized 38 grams of marijuana, 22 grams of cocaine, a pistol and $860 in alleged drug profits.
Detectives arrested 21 other youths on suspicion of drunk driving and issued 280 traffic tickets, according to Detective Tony Celli.
The anti-gang squad was scheduled to return to the streets Saturday night.
The sweep was the second major anti-gang operation in the last week. On Wednesday, 130 sheriff’s deputies arrested 13 teen-agers in the Lennox District near Hawthorne for weapons violations and outstanding warrants.
Special police patrols have increased after a series of high-publicity murders blamed on gang members. The first of the deaths came Jan. 30, when a stray bullet from a gang fight hit a 27-year-old woman as she strolled with a friend in Westwood.
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