Story highlights
NEW: The suspects are accused of selling cocaine, marijuana, heroin and oxycodone
The target is the Calle Cuatro gang
As of Thursday afternoon, 43 alleged gang members are under arrest
More than 600 agents and officers participate in the raid
More than 600 officers from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and local police departments conducted a raid on the largest public housing complex in Puerto Rico Thursday in an operation against its biggest drug gang.
Arrest warrants were issued for 82 alleged members of the Calle Cuatro, or Fourth Street, gang, blamed for 25 murders on the island.
According to officials, 43 alleged gang members had been arrested by Thursday afternoon.
A federal indictment says the 82 suspects are wanted on drug or weapons charges, or both.
The defendants are accused of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, “crack” (cocaine base), heroin, marijuana and oxycodone, according to the U.S. attorney’s office in San Juan.
Starting early Thursday, agents poured into the Luis Llorens Torres complex, a public housing neighborhood comprising 140 buildings housing about 2,500 families.
Federal officials said the co-conspirators used apartments and other locations to cook, store and sell the drugs.
The Calle Cuatro is known as the most organized, most violent, and biggest of the gangs operating in the complex, authorities said.
The Puerto Rico Police Department and the San Juan Police Department also participated in the raid.