Law enforcement officers search a property on Coors near Arenal early Thursday morning during an FBI Violent Gang Task Force raid that resulted in the arrests of the three people. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)
Three people are in custody after the FBI Violent Gang Task Force conducted a series of early morning raids at several South Valley addresses, according to Raul Bujanda, special agent in charge of the FBI in New Mexico. Law enforcement agents also found firearms during the operation , which included searches of a sprawling property off Coors Boulevard north of Arenal Road.
“We’re still processing the scene, but I know when the SWAT teams went to the various locations, … they already saw in plain sight firearms,” Bujanda said. “… We also expect to have quite a bit of drugs as well, probably fentanyl.”
Bujanda said the three people arrested were adults, and include a mix of men and women. Their identities and ages have not been released.
Nobody was injured during the raid, according to Bujanda.
Bujanda did not identify three other properties he said were searched in the operation, which started about 6 am Thursday, other than to say they were “close by” the Coors address.
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Bujanda said the raid is linked to another operation in September that netted more than 1 million fentanyl pills, as well as large amounts of methamphetamine, cash and weapons. One person was believed to be a member of the Sureños gang, according to reporting at the time.
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The FBI, the New Mexico Attorney General’s office, New Mexico State Police, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Albuquerque Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department and Laguna Police Department all participated in the raid, according to Bujanda.
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