LOS ANGELES — Dozens of burly, tattoo-covered members of the Mongol motorcycle gang were arrested Tuesday by federal agents in six states following a three-year undercover investigation in which four agents successfully infiltrated the group.
At least 38 members of the Southern California-based gang were arrested under a federal racketeering indictment that included charges of murder, attempted murder, assault, as well as gun and drug violations, said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spokesman Mike Hoffman.
During some arrests, sharpshooters stood guard on surrounding rooftops as motorcycles were lined up and confiscated.
“It’s going to be a large hit to their organization. We are arresting many of their top members,” Hoffman said.
Among those arrested were the gang’s former national president, Ruben Cavazos.
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Federal and local agents had 110 federal arrest warrants and 160 search warrants that were being served across Southern California and in Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, Washington and Ohio. The sweep, dubbed Operation Black Rain, was to continue throughout the day Tuesday, agents said.
Hoffman said the Mongols had been recruiting members of Los Angeles street gangs to assist in their operations.
Four ATF agents infiltrated the gang and were accepted as full members, a difficult process that requires winning the trust of the gang’s top leaders over a period of months, Hoffman said.
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