Four law enforcement SWAT teams and dozens of officers fanned out across North County at dawn Thursday, arrested seven suspects and confiscated drugs, weapons, explosives and ammunition, according to officials.
The San Diego County Sheriff‘s Gang Enforcement Team simultaneously served four search warrants in Vista and one in Oceanside at about 6 a.m., with help from the sheriff’s special enforcement detail and police SWAT teams from Escondido, Oceanside and Carlsbad, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Frank Sandoval.
Sheriff’s Special Investigation Units, North County Gang Task Force members, county probation, and numerous other sheriff’s department personnel from across the county also were on hand to assist with searching the five locations.
“The search warrants were part of a month-long investigation into allegations of individuals possessing illegal firearms,” Sandoval said. “One individual appeared to have had ties to criminal street gangs in Northern California and has a violent criminal history.”
The search warrants lead to the confiscation of more than 10 AR-15 rifles, some fully automatic; one MAC-10; numerous handguns; firearm suppressors; high capacity magazines; explosives; a honey oil lab; an indoor marijuana growing operation; three-quarters of a pound of methamphetamine; steroids; and thousands of rounds of ammunition of various calibers, according to Sandoval.
One woman and six men were arrested on suspicion of charges including outstanding arrest warrants, child endangerment, and various firearm and drug related counts.
No injuries were reported and the suspects’ names were not released.
–City News Service
