68 People Arrested in South Side Organized Crime Raids

The mission, ordered by Interim Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson, was intended to combat crime and violence

Chicago Police carried out raids targeting organized crime across the South Side on Thursday, resulting in 68 arrests.

The mission, ordered by Interim Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson, was intended to combat crime and violence in the Englewood, Chicago Lawn and Deering police districts, according to a statement from Chicago Police.

“Enforcement missions, such as this one, will be part of an ongoing initiative to help further reduce the ability of gangs to inflict harm in Chicago’s neighborhoods,” Johnson said in the statement.

Police executed 35 narcotics-related search warrants Thursday and overnight into Friday morning, according to police News Affairs. The searches resulted in 64 arrests, 50 for felonies and 14 for misdemeanors.

Three of the felony arrests were for unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, police said. Four guns were recovered. Four people were also arrested for prostitution as a result of the operation.

Licensed establishments believed to support or allow gang activity or drug sales on their premises were also targeted for inspections by the department’s Vice Division, police said. Investigators checked 21 businesses, resulting in 13 citations for ordinance violations and the recovery of 358 packs of untaxed cigarettes.

Investigators also checked 21 bars, one of which was cited for serving alcohol to a minor, according to police.

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