Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Federal authorities boasted that they practically dismantled an entire drug trafficking network in the Los Angeles area after a three-year, multi-agency investigation that resulted in dozens of arrests Thursday.
More than 800 federal and local agents took part in the massive take-down, which came after a federal grand jury returned six indictments that name a total of 61 defendants.
The targets of the operation, known as "Red Rein," were major methamphetamine and cocaine suppliers to street gangs based in Los Angeles, Long Beach and La Puente, the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said.
Of the targets, five were already in prison and 35 were arrested Thursday. The remaining 21 defendants are still being sought, the U.S. Attorney''s office said.
In addition to the arrests, the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office filed a lawsuit to shut down drug trafficking activities at a "notorious" hotel used by a gang.
The defendants are accused of trafficking large quantities of cocaine and meth that were resold by various area gangs, the office said.
The 61 face charges including conspiracy to distribute meth and cocaine, and firearms violations.
Officers and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and LAPD were part of the investigative effort.
CNN
