Thread: More than 600 snagged in ICE roundup

More than 600 snagged in ICE roundup

By Jason Buch
Updated 12:06 p.m., Thursday, April 26, 2012

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced agents have rounded up 637 gang members, almost half of them foreign nationals, in a nationwide sweep.

Project Nefarious netted suspects in 150 cities, including gang members in South Texas, according a news release.

They include Richard Paul Gonzales, a 40-year-old U.S. citizen and member of the Mexican Mafia in Bexar County wanted on an indecent exposure charge. They also include a 29-year-old U.S. citizen and member of the Hermanos Pistoleros in Laredo and a 30-year-old U.S. citizen and member of the Valluco gang in Starr County.

“The goal of Project Nefarious was to identify, locate, arrest, prosecute and remove gang members and associates affiliated with human smuggling and trafficking organizations,” said James Dinkins, ICE executive associate director. “By ridding our streets of 637 gang members and associates, we are putting a dent in the violence these transnational criminal street gangs bring to our communities.”

jbuch@express-news.net

More than 600 snagged in ICE roundup - San Antonio Express-News

Go I.C.E.

15 Atlanta area gang members arrested amid national sweep

By Jeremy Redmon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Fifteen gang members from throughout the Atlanta area were among more than 600 people arrested this month as part of a wide-ranging crackdown on gangs involved in human smuggling and trafficking in 150 cities and in Honduras.

Police from Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Forest Park and Cobb County assisted in the operation, called “Project Nefarious,” according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A variety of other federal law enforcement agencies also participated in the effort.

ICE declined to identify the Atlanta area suspects but said they were in the country illegally and were arrested on state and federal charges, including forgery, possession of marijuana and cocaine, trafficking in methamphetamine and auto theft. They were part of the Surenos 13, a Mexican gang that is prevalent throughout the nation, according to ICE.

In all, 637 gang people and their associates from 168 transnational street, prison and outlaw motorcycle gangs were arrested between April 9 and Saturday, according to ICE. Of those arrested, 479 were charged with criminal offenses; 210 had violent criminal histories; 10 were wanted for murder; and 290 are foreign nationals.

Police also seized 52 firearms, 5,462 pounds of marijuana, 6 pounds of cocaine, $201,437 in U.S currency and 14 vehicles, according to ICE. Those arrested came from 33 countries in Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.

“By ridding our streets of 637 gang members and associates, we are putting a dent in the violence these transnational criminal street gangs bring to our communities,” James Dinkins, an executive associate director of homeland security investigations for ICE, said in a prepared statement.

15 Atlanta area gang members arrested amid national sweep *| ajc.com

Thursday April 26th, 2012, 10:19am

ICE Claims To Target Gangs In Chicago Area Raid

U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement arrested 29 people in the Chicago area, during a three-day period that started April 9. The sweep was part of the nationwide "Project Nefarious" and assists in accomplishing ICE's overall effort to target undocumented immigrants suspected to be criminals. An ICE agent tells WBEZ that the project was targeting "transnational gangs."

However, of the 29 people apprehended, only three were arrested, including one U.S. Citizen. The other 26 are scheduled for deportation proceedings. Overall deportations have increased under the Barack Obama administration.

ICE Claims To Target Gangs In Chicago Area Raid | Progress Illinois

Feds Nab 28 NM Gang Members Linked To Trafficking

NM Gangs Linked To Trafficking In Colorado, Arizona, Utah

Posted by Wayne Harrison, Web Editor
POSTED: 9:55 pm MDT April 25, 2012

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Federal agents have arrested 28 suspected gang members and associates in New Mexico as part of a national roundup of gang members linked to drug and human trafficking.

Officials with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations announced Wednesday that members and associates affiliated with the South Side Locos and Brown Pride gangs in Albuquerque, southern New Mexico and the Four Corner's region were in federal custody. Authorities also seized drugs with a street value of close to $300,000.

The roundup was part of a national operation known as "Project Nefarious" which nabbed more than 600 gang members with outstanding warrants across the country.

Authorities believe the New Mexico gangs are linked to drug and human trafficking in Colorado, Arizona and Utah.

Feds Nab 28 NM Gang Members Linked To Trafficking - Denver News Story - KMGH Denver

Press Release April 19, 2012

For More Information Contact: Press Office (850) 488-0420

"PROJECT NEFARIOUS" Results in Four Arrests

Haines City, Florida—Florida Department of Corrections
Probation and Parole officers Tuesday (April 17, 2012) teamed with Homeland
Security agents and local law enforcement as part of a national Homeland
Security initiative designed to identify, target, arrest and prosecute gang
members and associates affiliated with human smuggling / trafficking
organizations (HSTO’s).

Contact was made with 13 known gang members in the Haines City area in
Central Florida, which resulted in four arrests.

The goal of the initiative is to combat the national security and public
safety threats posed by transnational street gangs conducting business on behalf
of international HSTO’s throughout the United States.

Participating agencies included: Homeland Security, Haines City Police
Department, Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Haines City Probation and Parole
office

Florida Department of Corrections Press Release