Gang crackdown nets 50 local arrests
From Staff Reports

Federal and state law enforcement agents have arrested 93 foreign nationals in North Carolina -- including 50 in the Raleigh area -- accused of being associated with violent street gangs.

Officials with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the roundup today. The arrests were part of a national crackdown over the summer that targeted gang members nationwide.

The agency, known as ICE, said the crackdown had resulted in the arrest of 1,313 gang members, associates and illegal immigrants in 19 states. Those arrested are linked to nearly 20 different street gangs, including MS-13, Surenos 13, and Brown Pride, according to a news release issued by ICE.

The agency launched Operation Community Shield in 2005 to dismantle street gangs. The agency partnered with local agencies -- including police in Raleigh and Durham and the Wake County Sheriff's Office -- to make the most recent arrests.

In addition to the Raleigh area arrests, authorities made 43 arrests in Winston-Salem, according to the news release.
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