WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Federal agents arrested 28 suspected drug dealers during raids targeting narcotics trafficking in Los Angeles’ Skid Row.
  • Investigators seized drugs, firearms and luxury vehicles while serving 44 search warrants.
  • Roughly 100 law enforcement vehicles entered the neighborhood as officers sealed off blocks, parks and known drug locations.
  • Authorities said alleged dealers used tents, storefronts, vehicles, disguises and housing units to conceal narcotics activity.

Federal agents arrested 28 suspected drug dealers Thursday during a sweeping early morning operation aimed at the narcotics trade in Los Angeles’ Skid Row. The massive takedown combined raids at suspects’ homes with a midmorning street sweep across the filthy downtown neighborhood.

Dozens of FBI agents and police officers conducted two rounds of raids. One targeted the homes of alleged distributors of fentanyl, meth, cocaine and PCP, while the later sweep caught a number of suspected street dealers.

Investigators seized drugs, firearms and luxury vehicles while making arrests in cases that exposed the evasive tactics allegedly used to sell deadly narcotics. Suspects used disguises, storefronts and sidewalk tents to conceal drug activity from law enforcement, according to authorities and court papers.

Before dawn, an FBI convoy arrived at the Pasadena home of alleged cocaine dealer Manuel Vaughns. Agents carrying automatic weapons used flash-bang grenades to clear the Summit Avenue property and ordered four suspects to come outside.

Trump's Sovereign Wealth Fund: What Could It Mean For Your Money?

MORE NEWS: Sylvester Stallone Reveals Savage Threat to Knock Actor’s Teeth Out During Explosive Set Clash

Two suspects were taken into custody at the property. Neighbors said they were unaware of criminal activity at the rundown home, where gleaming low rider automobiles had been parked outside.

Authorities said Thursday’s takedowns were designed to strike a decisive blow against the illegal drug trade fueling addiction and crime in Skid Row. Federal agents and police previously conducted similar operations targeting downtown Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park.

Members of the DEA and LAPD joined the FBI in exhaustive investigations conducted before the sweep. Investigators used phone taps, undercover officers, and drones to identify suspected major dealers and gather evidence against narcotics suppliers operating around Skid Row.

More than two dozen alleged dealers were identified during those investigations. Their alleged methods ranged from selling drugs out of a Mercedes to posing as homeless people living in sidewalk tents that actually functioned as drug dens.

FREE Gun Law Map: Laws Don't Pause During Social Unrest

Following recent reports that Congress is considering a nationwide voter ID requirement for federal elections, do you support requiring voters to show identification before casting a ballot?

By completing the poll, you agree to receive emails from Objectivist.co, occasional offers from our partners and that you've read and agree to our privacy policy and legal statement.

Other suspected dealers allegedly operated through storefronts, according to court papers. Prosecutors said some posed as social workers or homeless services providers, while others used SRO units and housing for people with low incomes to store narcotics.

WATCH:

Skid Row covers roughly 50 city blocks in downtown Los Angeles. Warehouses, grimy businesses, inexpensive restaurants, and bodegas fill the area, where as many as 6,000 homeless people live on the streets or in shelters.

Close

MORE NEWS: USS Lincoln Strike Group Earns Military’s Highest Unit Valor Award for Iran Deployment

The neighborhood has become known as a center of crime and misery, with filthy blocks that have long resisted government cleanup efforts. Many people have died there, including actress Daveigh Chase, who died in June following years of addiction and homelessness.

A convoy of roughly 100 law enforcement vehicles entered Skid Row on Thursday. Police and federal agents sealed off blocks and parks known as drug locations, trapping suspected dealers before taking them into custody.

Authorities were serving 44 search warrants across the operation. At least 14 suspects had been taken into custody by 9 a.m., with the day’s arrest total eventually reaching 28 suspected drug dealers.

Other alleged dealers sought Thursday included Rodney Thomas, 55, also known as “Jamaica,” of Los Angeles. Authorities also identified Larry Pitre, 70, also known as “Kat Daddy,” of Studio City, and Lionel Nelson, 57, also known as “Popeye,” of Watts.

The raids pulled together federal agents and local police following investigations into both street dealers and their alleged suppliers. By moving against homes, storefronts, tents, vehicles, and known drug spots, authorities targeted the varied methods allegedly used to keep Skid Row’s narcotics trade running.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Objectivist. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.