Chicago police said dozens of people suspected of participating in gang-affiliated crimes were arrested in a series of raids ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms conducted the "precision raids" alongside Chicago police officers beginning Thursday morning, CPD said in a statement.
Authorities said the "roundups" will continue Friday across the city.
As of 4 a.m. Friday morning, 71 individuals had been arrested with charges - including weapons violations, prostitution, narcotics dealing and possession - pending, according to police.
Thirteen weapons and two vehicles were seized during the raids, over the course of which seven search warrants were executed, officials. Police said officers also recovered $55,650 in cash and one business, a convenience store located in the 900 block of West 31st Street, was closed as a result of the raids.
Officers also raided a child daycare facility in the 1000 block of Marquette Road that authorities said was being used as a "gun stash house." Four handguns and a "large amount of ammunition" were taken from the daycare and a woman was taken into custody for questioning as a person of interest, according to police.
No children were in the facility at the time and police contact the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services regarding the business' license, authorities said.
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Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson was expected to speak on the raids and detail final results alongside Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jeffrey Salette and Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Celinez Nunez at 1:30 p.m. Friday at CPD headquarters.
The raids came as the department deployed more than 1,000 extra Chicago police officers to patrol over the holiday weekend typically marked by an uptick in violence.
Last year, at least six people were killed and 44 others wounded in shootings across Chicago on Memorial Day weekend.
