Federal and local law enforcement swept into a major Los Angeles neighborhood known for drug dealing on Wednesday, with over 25 suspected dealers arrested as Dr. Oz looked on.
The operation in MacArthur Park saw agents “take control” of the park, according to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, after law enforcement spent several years trying to tackle the drug networks in the area.
The U.S. Department of Justice said on X that it planned to continue the operation, warning that those who deal drugs in the U.S. will face the full force of the law. The Los Angeles Police Department insisted the operation was not immigration related.
“We are going after street dealers and suppliers of massive amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine,” Essayli said on X. “Over the last 24 hours, federal and local law enforcement have started arresting 25 defendants charged in a federal criminal complaint with possessing and distributing dangerous narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine.”
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.