Federal authorities apprehend five accused members of the Mexican Mafia in Southern California during raids on gambling operations.
Mexican Mafia Prison Gang Members Arrested in Southern California
A total of 16 members of the Mexican Mafia prison gang have been arrested or indicted in connection with an illegal Southern California gambling network and related crimes as of late July 2025. This includes the recent arrest of five additional alleged gang members tied to a large federal investigation spanning Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Orange counties.
The arrests are part of a sustained FBI-led operation targeting the gang’s gambling, narcotics, weapons trafficking, money laundering, and other criminal enterprises across Southern California. Seized items have included gambling machines, narcotics, firearms, and cash.
The FBI and multiple law enforcement partners coordinated the raids and arrests, aiming to dismantle the gang’s extensive criminal network. The ongoing case has resulted in the seizure of gambling machines, narcotics, weapons, and large sums of cash.
The arrests occurred in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Orange County, as part of the long-running FBI operation focused on investigating the gang's crime footprint in Southern California. The comment about the seizure of evidence was made by a San Diego FBI spokesperson.
The illegal activities under investigation include money laundering and importing meth. Law enforcement officials seized cash, narcotics, firearms, and other evidence as part of the investigation. The investigation is still ongoing, with the focus on investigating the gang's crime activities in Southern California.
The charges are a result of stings carried out across Southern California. The arrests bring the total number of individuals linked to the Mexican Mafia to 16, who have been charged or arrested in the ongoing case.
In a statement, the FBI's San Diego Field Office Special Agent in Charge, Mark Dargis, stated that the FBI's top priority is to remove "violent criminals from our streets" and seize their resources. Dargis emphasized that the operation is part of the FBI’s ongoing efforts to combat organized crime and ensure public safety in Southern California.
[1] FBI Press Release, "FBI Announces Arrests of Mexican Mafia Prison Gang Members in Southern California," 15 July 2025. [2] Los Angeles Times, "16 Members of Mexican Mafia Arrested in Southern California," 16 July 2025. [3] NBC San Diego, "FBI Arrests 5 Alleged Mexican Mafia Members in Southern California," 15 July 2025.
- The gambling activities of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, including their operation of an illegal Southern California gambling network, are part of the extensive criminal enterprises they are alleged to have been involved in.
- The recent arrests of 16 members of the Mexican Mafia, known for their involvement in crime-and-justice, have exposed a trend in gambling-trends and general-news, as law enforcement agencies continue to combat their criminal activities, particularly in Southern California.
