Ohio Drug Raids Aimed at Crips
The FBI on Thursday led about 20 drug raids in the Akron, Ohio, area aimed at putting a dent in a suspected cocaine network believed to involve the Los Angeles-based Crips gang.
Twenty-nine people were arrested in the raids, for which FBI agents and other law enforcement officials had obtained 37 federal arrest warrants.
William D. Branon, who heads the FBI in northern Ohio, said the raids were aimed at members or associates of the Crips. He said two arrests in St. Louis were related to the suspected network.
Branon said officials confiscated cocaine, semiautomatic weapons and several vehicles.
Branon said all those arrested will face federal charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He said that in some of the cases, other charges included possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and distributing cocaine.
The FBI believes that the Crips gang has about 35,000 members nationwide, Branon said.
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