Thirty gang members and associates have been arrested in a 5-day sweep in the Carbondale, Glenwood Springs and Rifle area, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service said today.
ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok said that the operation – which was spearheaded by ICE agents, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office and the Carbondale Police Department – resulted in the arrest of 24 gang members and six gang associates.
Those arrested were from five gangs: the Bloods, Mexican Mafia-Azteca, MS 13, SUR 13, and Surenos.
The operation ended today.
Rusnok said that among those arrested were two U.S. citizens and two illegal alien gang members who were arrested on state criminal warrants or other charges. He said the remaining gang members and associates are charged with administrative violations and are awaiting deportation.
Those awaiting deportation are from Mexico and El Salvador. They are being held in facilities in Fairplay and Aurora.
According to Rusnok, one of the SUR 13 gang members allegedly was in possession of cocaine when arrested and another gang member had been convicted of sexually assaulting a minor.
Three of the arrested had been previously deported.
Rusnok said that intelligence information gathered by ICE and the Office of Homeland Security is that criminal gangs, such as the Surenos, are increasing their activities in Colorado, particularly in the areas of smuggling and the distribution of narcotics.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
