March 27, 2007

Joint effort between ICE, DEA and FBI yields the arrest of 36 gang members

GUAYAMA, Puerto Rico - Thirty-six suspected members of a major violent street gang were arrested here yesterday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The arrests stem from a long-term federal investigation that targeted a Guayama-based street gang known as the Killer Bees. The investigation revealed that the Killer Bees controlled the drug and gun trafficking operations within several public housing projects and other low-income areas in the southern town of Guayama, Puerto Rico. The Killer Bees were also allegedly responsible for the distribution of narcotics and illegal weapons within the public housing projects as well as for laundering the proceeds generated from the illicit activity.

"Members of drug trafficking and money-laundering organizations should know that ICE will continue working with its federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts to identify and dismantle their organizations," said Manuel Oyola Torres, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Puerto Rico. "We cannot and will not tolerate the proliferation of illegal drugs and weapons in our communities."

These are the latest arrests under ICE's Operation Community Shield. The initial target of Operation Community Shield was MS-13, which is the largest and most violent street gang in the country. In May 2005, ICE expanded Operation Community Shield to include all criminal street gangs. With the launch of this second phase, ICE's Operation Community shield aims to ensure that gang members have no safe haven in our nation's communities.

This initiative also involves strong partnerships and cooperation with existing federal, state and local anti-gang efforts. Such partnerships are essential to the success of the initiative and to ensure officer safety during operations. The enforcement actions to date have been conducted in coordination with law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels.

Those arrested yesterday were transferred to the Guaynabo, Puerto Rico Metropolitan Detention Center where they will remain awaiting the outcome of their cases.

The public is reminded that a criminal complaint or indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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