San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced the arrest of 39 individuals involved in violent gang activities, including drug trafficking, arms dealing, and extortion. The operation, dubbed “Los Impuestos,” targeted street gangs operating under the directives of the Mexican Mafia, a notorious prison gang with ties to Mexican cartels.
Over a six-month investigation, authorities uncovered that incarcerated
Mexican Mafia members were orchestrating criminal activities from behind bars, directing local street gangs to impose “taxes” on businesses in areas such as downtown San Diego, Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, and Southeast San Diego. These illicit taxes were enforced through threats, vandalism, and violence against business owners and their establishments.
The long-running operation led to the seizure of a substantial cache of weapons and narcotics, including 21 handguns, 23 rifles, four shotguns, two grenades, 75 pounds of methamphetamine, 60 pounds of fentanyl, nearly two pounds of cocaine, and over 4,000 M30 fentanyl pills.
District Attorney Stephan emphasized the significance of the takedown, stating, “This case is one of the greatest of our time.” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl added, “Let this be a message to those that wish to do harm for organized crime; you can expect more of this if you exist here in our county.”
The arrested individuals face a range of charges, including murder, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, and weapons trafficking. Authorities hope that these arrests will significantly disrupt the operations of the Mexican Mafia and their affiliated street gangs in the region, delivering much needed blow to organized crime networks that have long plagued San Diego County.
This operation shows exactly what can happen when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies work together to take down complex criminal organizations. The community is urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to help maintain the safety and security of the region.
