Project Shadowfire

Project Shadowfire
ICE arresting a suspected gang member
DateFebruary 15 – March 21, 2016 (2016-02-15 – 2016-03-21)
LocationCalifornia, Texas, Georgia, Puerto Rico
OutcomeSuccessful project: 1,133 arrested, $70,000 and 20 kilos of narcotics seized[1]

Project Shadowfire was an American police investigation in early 2016 that resulted in the arrest of 1,133 people, 915 of whom were suspected members of "multinational organized criminal gangs", involved in murder, racketeering, drug smuggling and human trafficking from Mexico and elsewhere.[1] The majority of the arrests took place in Los Angeles and San Francisco in California; El Paso and Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. 70,000 US, 150 firearms and more than 20 kg narcotics were seized.[2]

Of the 1133 arrested, 1001 were charged with criminal offenses, and 132 were arrested for immigration violations. Over 900 of those arrested were believed to be members or associates of MS-13, Sureños, Norteños, Bloods and other prison gangs. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials confirmed that most of those arrested were American citizens, though 239 were foreign nationals from Central America, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe.[1]

  1. ^ a b c "More than 1,100 arrested in ICE operation targeting MS-13, other gangs". Fox News Latino. 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2016-03-31.
  2. ^ "ICE arrests more than 1,100 in operation targeting gangs". US. Immigration & Customs Enforcement. 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2016-03-31.