WASHINGTON — A combined operation of federal law enforcement and local police and sheriffs resulted in the arrest of 28 people from across the area on a variety of federal and state drug and gun charges Wednesday.
More than 300 law enforcement officers carried out the arrests, which also saw the seizure of guns, heroin, cocaine and other drugs. The defendants were from across the region, including 12 from Woodbridge, Virginia.
The Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia said the combined operation, called Operation Tin Panda, began in spring investigating violent crime and drug-related crime among Blood gangs in Northern Virginia. Before Wednesday, they’d arrested more than 30 people in the District, Maryland, Virginia and California and seized more than 71 guns and large amounts of cocaine, marijuana, heroin, THC and crystal methamphetamine.
The FBI, ATF, DEA U.S. Inspector’s Service and law enforcement in Prince William, Fairfax, Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George and Prince George’s counties, as well as police in Alexandria and D.C., have taken part in Operation Tin Panda.
