Oakland police, FBI conduct early morning gang raids

OAKLAND, Calif. - Police, along with federal and state SWAT agents, conducted an early morning operation Thursday morning targeting a West Oakland gang.

KTVU saw agents from the FBI, CHP and the Oakland police present at a minimum of three locations. The state Department of Justice also took part in the raids.

Officer Johnna Watson, an Oakland police spokeswoman told KTVU that officers were serving criminal warrants in connection to ongoing investigations in Oakland as well as "neighboring cities."  

Acting Deputy Chief Roland Holmgren said the warrants were served in Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties in connection with suspects who have ties to a West Oakland gang.

"We were going after an infamous West Oakland gang that we believe and feel very confident were responsible for terrorizing our communities," Holmgren said. "These gangs were, we believe, involved in shootings, robberies, murders on some occasions."

KTVU cameras saw operations being conducted at: 38th Avenue and Nevil Street near the Allendale neighborhood; Peralta Street in West Oakland, where at least one person was detained and in the 800 block of 19th Street near the Greyhound Bus Station in Uptown. 

At one point, Oakland police chased a black Cadillac to Castro Valley, where traffic was stopped before 11 a.m. on westbound I-580 at Eden Canyon Road. 

By mid-morning, Oakland police said 12 suspects had been arrested and that investigators had seized guns, drugs and cash.