As the White House begins discussions on gun control, more than $1 million in guns and drugs were recovered in Chicago Heights last week after an eight-month investigation, making it one of city's largest busts in years.
With a notorious reputation nationwide of being a dangerous city, Chicago Heights law enforcement said it continues to work to change things and this bust marks a success.
"It's a fight that we believe and we are not about to roll over," said Jack Riley, special agent-in-charge Drug Enforcement Administration.
On Wednesday, the DEA and local police announced the arrest and charges of two individuals, Juan Serrano and Raul Dominguez, after authorities seized four kilograms of cocaine and heroin and removed two deadly weapons from the city streets.
Investigators said they watched a drug deal unravel Friday on the 400 block of West 15th Street.
They arrested the men and searched their car, discovering the drugs in a hidden compartment in the back-seat speakers along with a Romanian-made AK-47 assault rifle with a 100-round drum magazine and a Desert Eagle .50 caliber pistol.
"I know they don't use these to hunt deer or turkey," Riley said. "They use these guns to kill humans."
On Tuesday Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said police have confiscated 180 guns already in 2013. And with increasing pressure for improvement after reporting 506 murders in 2012, lawmakers are speaking out.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan was applauded by the Stop Concealed Carry coalition for seeking a rehearing of the Federal Judges decision that struck down Illinois ban on carrying concealed weapons in public.
"This makes a difference to everybody in the community," Riley said, "because these guns are no longer in the hands of those that will use them. That makes me sleep better at night. Our work's not done."
