Latest on North Richmond ops
Multiagency drug raid results in 15 arrests North Richmond operation aims to make the area safer
By Karl Fischer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
More than 200 police and federal agents kicked down doors and chased suspects from drug corners Wednesday in North Richmond's third massive law enforcement raid this year.
SWAT teams charged through several houses near the corner of Fifth Street and Market Avenue in the unincorporated enclave about 10 a.m., using flash-bang grenades to clear rooms and ordering occupants out at gunpoint.
"Our goal is to make North Richmond a safer place by combating drugs and violence," Contra Costa sheriff's Lt. Kitty Parker said. "With the drug sales comes the violence: murders, shootings, stabbings. We're here to arrest the people who are creating the problems."
Authorities sought to serve 11 federal drug indictments and 13 search warrants, results of a long-term inquiry into North Richmond's street drug trade. Local agencies also sought several other suspects in connection with state warrants and unresolved investigations.
By afternoon, authorities arrested 15 people on suspicion of various offenses, including seven of those indicted on federal charges.
Authorities named no suspects Wednesday. The FBI will identify its suspects today, when they appear before a federal magistrate in Oakland, Special Agent Joe Schadler said.
"They needed to do something. There's just too much killing around here," said Roselyn Knowles, in the crowd of onlookers at Fifth and Market. "They need to get those guns off the street so I can get to the store."
Like many residents, Knowles rounded a corner Wednesday morning and found herself face to face with rifle-carrying men in olive-drab jumpsuits and ballistic vests. Sheriff's deputies, Richmond police, and FBI agents from Portland, Ore., Sacramento and Los Angeles participated in the raids.
"Enough is enough. The citizens of North Richmond will no longer tolerate violence and drugs in their community," said Dave Johnson, assistant special agent in charge at the FBI's San Francisco field office. "And we're here to show that local, state and federal law enforcement are in their corner."
Crushing poverty, drug dealing and endemic street violence have plagued this community of 4,500 for decades. Detectives have investigated five homicides here this year, and Richmond police say they believe friction between street factions in North Richmond and Richmond's Iron Triangle neighborhood caused several additional killings within city limits.
Most of the search warrants served Wednesday were for buildings within a 13-block radius of Fifth and Market, one of the community's most active drug corners and the scene of its most recent killing.
Votive candles and teddy bears from the street shrine for Shawn Melson toppled as police streamed through the door of Rancho market, a few paces from where the 16-year-old died in a drive-by shooting Sept. 10.
Houses also were raided near Hilltop mall and in the Richmond Annex neighborhood, Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan said.
Authorities confiscated nearly a pound of methamphetamine and one replica firearm in the raids. Nobody was hurt.
Schadler described the investigation preceding the raid as an extension of a multiagency wiretap investigation of drug dealing associated with the Project Trojan street gang. That probe culminated in a similar raid in March, and nine federal indictments.
A separate sheriff's investigation in February culminated in a similar sweep with similar indictments from a Contra Costa grand jury.
Schadler said Wednesday's actions did not necessarily target gang members.
"These major operations do help to dismantle these organizations," Gagan said. "But at the same time, we hope to also empower the community to take back its streets. That's essential. It would be tragic to lose all the progress we have made."
Reach Karl Fischer at 510-262-2728 or kfischer@cctimes.com.
By Karl Fischer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
More than 200 police and federal agents kicked down doors and chased suspects from drug corners Wednesday in North Richmond's third massive law enforcement raid this year.
SWAT teams charged through several houses near the corner of Fifth Street and Market Avenue in the unincorporated enclave about 10 a.m., using flash-bang grenades to clear rooms and ordering occupants out at gunpoint.
"Our goal is to make North Richmond a safer place by combating drugs and violence," Contra Costa sheriff's Lt. Kitty Parker said. "With the drug sales comes the violence: murders, shootings, stabbings. We're here to arrest the people who are creating the problems."
Authorities sought to serve 11 federal drug indictments and 13 search warrants, results of a long-term inquiry into North Richmond's street drug trade. Local agencies also sought several other suspects in connection with state warrants and unresolved investigations.
By afternoon, authorities arrested 15 people on suspicion of various offenses, including seven of those indicted on federal charges.
Authorities named no suspects Wednesday. The FBI will identify its suspects today, when they appear before a federal magistrate in Oakland, Special Agent Joe Schadler said.
"They needed to do something. There's just too much killing around here," said Roselyn Knowles, in the crowd of onlookers at Fifth and Market. "They need to get those guns off the street so I can get to the store."
Like many residents, Knowles rounded a corner Wednesday morning and found herself face to face with rifle-carrying men in olive-drab jumpsuits and ballistic vests. Sheriff's deputies, Richmond police, and FBI agents from Portland, Ore., Sacramento and Los Angeles participated in the raids.
"Enough is enough. The citizens of North Richmond will no longer tolerate violence and drugs in their community," said Dave Johnson, assistant special agent in charge at the FBI's San Francisco field office. "And we're here to show that local, state and federal law enforcement are in their corner."
Crushing poverty, drug dealing and endemic street violence have plagued this community of 4,500 for decades. Detectives have investigated five homicides here this year, and Richmond police say they believe friction between street factions in North Richmond and Richmond's Iron Triangle neighborhood caused several additional killings within city limits.
Most of the search warrants served Wednesday were for buildings within a 13-block radius of Fifth and Market, one of the community's most active drug corners and the scene of its most recent killing.
Votive candles and teddy bears from the street shrine for Shawn Melson toppled as police streamed through the door of Rancho market, a few paces from where the 16-year-old died in a drive-by shooting Sept. 10.
Houses also were raided near Hilltop mall and in the Richmond Annex neighborhood, Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan said.
Authorities confiscated nearly a pound of methamphetamine and one replica firearm in the raids. Nobody was hurt.
Schadler described the investigation preceding the raid as an extension of a multiagency wiretap investigation of drug dealing associated with the Project Trojan street gang. That probe culminated in a similar raid in March, and nine federal indictments.
A separate sheriff's investigation in February culminated in a similar sweep with similar indictments from a Contra Costa grand jury.
Schadler said Wednesday's actions did not necessarily target gang members.
"These major operations do help to dismantle these organizations," Gagan said. "But at the same time, we hope to also empower the community to take back its streets. That's essential. It would be tragic to lose all the progress we have made."
Reach Karl Fischer at 510-262-2728 or kfischer@cctimes.com.
posted by Plunda Claus @ 7:08 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home