31 People Arrested In Crackdown On Violent, Drug-Running Street Gang

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Authorities have arrested 31 people they say are connected to a violent, drug-running multi-state street gang directed from inside one of California's most notorious prisons.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Sacramento said they were arrested Wednesday in a massive sweep by more than 750 law enforcement officers.

Twenty-nine suspects were arrested on drug and weapons charges across 10 Northern California counties. Another was arrested in Pittsburgh and the last one in Southern Oregon.

Officials say they were directed by two inmate members of the Northern Structure prison gang who used smuggled cellphones to communicate from inside Pelican Bay State Prison.

They say the inmates directed a subgroup of the Norteno street gang that grew up in Woodland, west of Sacramento, in recent years.

Thirty-four weapons were seized Wednesday.

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