180 Arrested, 30 Illegal Gambling Operations Shut Down In Crackdown On San Bernardino Street Gang
SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA) — A crackdown on a violent street gang in San Bernardino has resulted in 180 arrests and shut down 30 illegal gambling operations, according to California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Dozens of search warrants were executed Thursday as part of a joint investigation into the Westside Verdugo street gang, which authorities say has an extensive criminal history in the San Bernardino area and is suspected in a number of murders, attempted murders, and assaults.
Thirty illegal gambling operations run by the Westside Verdugo gang were shut down over the course of the investigation, and more than 100 gambling machines and devices were seized, according to authorities. Just this year alone, prosecutors say five homicides, four attempted murders and a host of other crimes were linked to these illegal gambling sites.
During the searches executed Thursday, 31 suspects were arrested and 11 firearms were seized. A total of 92 handguns, 19 assault weapons, hundreds of pounds of illegal drugs, and nearly $300,000 in U.S. currency have been seized over the course of the investigation, Bonta's office said.
