Update: Police later said only six people were arrested in the street takeover crackdown over the weekend. The earlier figure given was from another recent sweep. Get the latest here.
Law enforcement agencies in Southern California, including the Los Angeles Police Department, made 40 arrests and issued dozens of citations during a two-day operation to crack down on illegal street takeovers.
The LAPD announced Tuesday that, in addition to the arrests, officers issued 82 citations, 34 vehicles were impounded, and “numerous” takeovers were either disrupted or stopped before they could get going.
Among those arrests included one person who was taken into custody on a warrant for attempted murder and another for possession of a loaded “ghost gun.” Ghost guns are unserialized guns that can be assembled from parts or kits and are virtually untraceable to law enforcement.
The operation was held on Friday and Saturday at various locations across Southern California, the LAPD said.
The Police Department did not specify what other law enforcement agencies participated in the crackdown or where the alleged street takeovers were disrupted.
An attempted street takeover in West Los Angeles was shut down by LAPD officers on Friday night, although it’s unclear if that event was part of the larger operation.
“The collaborative efforts by everyone involved made an impact and sent a message – we will not condone this illegal and often deadly behavior,” the Police Department said on social media.
Street takeovers, where large crowds and drivers block streets to do donuts, “burn rubber,” and race, have become increasingly common in the Los Angeles area. They can also lead to other dangerous and criminal behavior including crashes, the looting of businesses, and shootings.