144 Arrested in Las Vegas Federal Task Force Crackdown
Law enforcement authorities arrested 144 suspects as part of Operation Loaded Dice, a nearly three-month operation that targeted criminal networks operating in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The arrests included 123 state-level and 21 federal arrests.
The criminal networks were involved in illicit firearms and narcotics trafficking, bulk cash smuggling, and other violent crimes, and allegedly had associations with the Sinaloa Cartel, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and other crime networks.
Members of Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Core 8 also seized 290 firearms including machine guns, 1,124 kilograms of narcotics, and more than $1 million in cash and other assets. In addition, the operation led to the start of 13 HSTF investigations in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.
Multiagency Cooperation
Law enforcement leaders said intelligence-driven investigations, coordinated enforcement actions, and sustained partnerships helped make the mission successful.
“Strong policing requires true partnership, respect, and community trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “By unifying local, state and federal agencies, the HSTF initiative equips law enforcement to tackle crime collectively and save lives.”
Homeland Security Task Force Core 8 is made up of various law enforcement partners including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and others.
State and local partners include the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Nevada Highway Patrol, and the Clark County District Attorney’s Office.
