Federal authorities conducted a massive crackdown on the Mexican Mafia in Southern California, arresting 37 people and charging them with various crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, and racketeering.
The operation, dubbed 'Operation Gangster's Paradise,' targeted the Mexican Mafia, one of the most powerful and secretive criminal groups in the United States.
Those arrested include Jaime Alvarado, Karina Cesena, and Mario Flores, who are accused of being involved in the gang's activities.
Two senior gang members, Luis Cardenas and Jose Antonio Ochoa Madrigal, who are already in prison, are also expected to face charges.
The Mexican Mafia, also known as La Eme, was formed in the late 1950s inside California's prison system and operates as a 'gang of gangs,' controlling many Hispanic street gangs across large parts of California.
Its leaders mostly run the group from inside prison, sending orders through coded messages and prison communication systems, making it hard to stop.
Authorities say La Eme acts as a link between Mexican drug cartels and local gangs, and is involved in activities like drug trafficking, extortion, murder-for-hire, and racketeering.
