Overview
- Federal agents and Los Angeles police staged a large nighttime sweep at MacArthur Park on Wednesday night that involved roughly 100 personnel.
- The LAPD said the latest operation led to at least six arrests in the park.
- A May DEA-led raid produced 18 federal arrests and a Department of Justice complaint that charges alleged suppliers who prosecutors say fed the park's fentanyl and meth market.
- Officials say the campaign targets both street-level dealers and upstream networks tied to gangs including the 18th Street Gang and prison-linked Mexican Mafia that prosecutors link to cartel supply chains.
- Authorities plan a third phase that will focus on treatment services and referrals to addiction care, while advocates warn repeated sweeps can displace people with substance use disorder and restrict outreach and syringe access.