Feds sweep into Los Angeles' MacArthur Park in operation against 'open-air drug market'
Authorities say 200 DEA personnel and 70 LAPD officers targeted cartel-linked dealers in an operation that seized 9 kilos of fentanyl.
- On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, federal and local law enforcement launched a massive raid at MacArthur Park, arresting at least 17 people. Agents seized 9 kilograms of fentanyl valued at $8 million to $10 million.
- Officials targeted the area to dismantle cartel-linked distribution networks plaguing the community. This operation builds on 2025 city efforts, when extra patrols reduced violent crime and open drug use around the park.
- Dubbed 'Operation Free MacArthur Park,' the raid mobilized 200 DEA personnel and 70 LAPD officers. Agents breached businesses with power tools, taking the park's alleged '#1 drug trafficker' into federal custody.
- First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli described the action as a liberation, stating, 'Anyone who's been down here lately knows this park has been taken over.' Authorities aim to dismantle the open-air drug market permanently.
- Ahead of the upcoming World Cup and Olympics, DEA officials aim to 'clean up the community' to ensure public safety and enhance the area's reputation. This strategic timing underscores the operation's broader significance for the region.
21 Articles
21 Articles
The Toronto Star
Federal authorities arrest 18 for alleged drug distribution around Los Angeles park
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal authorities said they arrested 18 people Wednesday on charges related to selling illicit drugs including fentanyl and methamphetamine around a Los Angeles park.
The Drug Control Administration said 19.8 pounds of fentanyl were seized in a raid led by DEA and LAPD in MacArthur Park
MASSIVE federal operation under way to CRUSH cartel's 'notorious open-air drug market' in Los Angeles
A massive operation targeting the "notorious open-air drug market" in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles began Wednesday, according to a Justice Dept. statement.Details of "Operation Free MacArthur Park" were posted on social media by Bill Essayli, the first assistant United States attorney for the Central District of California.At least 19 kilograms of fentanyl and 17 arrests were initially reported in the operation targeting the 'notorious open-air…
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