Police: 23 Alleged SA Gang Members Arrested (KSAT-San Antonio, TX)

Police: 23 Alleged SA Gang Members Arrested

UPDATED: 6:20 pm CDT June 6, 2008

SAN ANTONIO -- Immigration officials led a combined effort of local, state and federal law enforcement in a weeklong roundup of area gang members, they announced Friday.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents said they worked closely with multiple agencies in arresting 23 people as part of a locally targeted 260 people.

In five days, officers arrested 23 gang members in San Antonio, eight in Laredo and another in Austin, officials said. Most were arrested on outstanding state warrants while seven were arrested on federal charges, officials said.

The arrests did not lead to any major seizures of drugs or guns, but a spokesman from Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said they are making a case against a convicted felon who was allegedly captured with three guns in his possession.

SAPD Chief Bill McManus said it's just a matter of time before they capture the remaining targets.

"When criminals are wanted and feel the heat, they're going to go underground for a while," he said. "But they will eventually resurface and it's not a matter of if we catch them, it's a matter of when we catch them.

"If they fled from here, we'll catch them somewhere else," he said

Five of those arrested were in the country illegally and are in the process of being deported to their home countries of Mexico and Honduras, ICE agents said.