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Federal agents and police in tactical vehiclesswarmed drug usersand dealers in one of California’s most notorious public parks on Wednesday night as part of an ongoing blitz to rid the area of crime.
Executed by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency in partnership with the Los Angeles police, “Operation Free MacArthur Park” aims to eradicate the open-air drug markets that have befouled downtown LA’s once-proud greenspace.
Roughly 100 agents and police officersstormed the parkWednesday in the second such sweep since the operation began earlier this month, targeting stupefied usersopenly smoking fentanylat the park’s the litter-strewn corners.
Anthony Chrysanthis, head of the DEA’s Los Angeles office, told The Post that the nighttime sweep was part of an ongoing effort to maintain pressure on dealers and users.
“We want the criminals to know that it doesn’t matter when you go, we can show up and we can control the park whenever need be,” Chrysanthis said.
“This is the commitment that we’ve promised to the people of LA,” he added.
Chrysanthis said latest push is meant to target users themselves, after successful raids took outnarco-gang leadershipandmajor suppliers of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
When Operation Free MacArthur Park began with an initial sweep on June 4, police made 13 arrests and issued six citations in less than an hour.
In a subsequent visit to the park, DEA agents and police made six felony arrests, and issued two misdemeanor charges and nine citations.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
