Authorities in Nassau County announced Tuesday they arrested 42 people, including 25 suspected gang members, over a freshly completed four-day sweep that marks one of the largest gang takedowns in the county’s history.
Those arrests included suspects involved in home invasions, shootings, stabbings, rape and human trafficking, according to video of the press conference posted by 1010 WINS. One suspect is accused of attacking a victim with a machete.
Weapons including guns, knives and miniature axes were seized during the takedown.
Police said 28 arrestees, who were charged with lower level crimes and would have otherwise been released, were surrendered to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
The suspects range in age from 18 to 50 years old. Some are believed to be members of MS-13, Trinitarios, and the 18th Street gang, according to Pix11.
“We saw a spike in some gang activity here in Nassau County. We decided at that point we were going to step up what we were doing,” Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said during the noon press conference in Mineola.
“If you’re smart, you’ll get out of town,” Blakeman warned. “Because in Nassau County, you’re going to be prosecuted, you’re going to be incarcerated or you’re going to be deported.”
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