NEW ORLEANS, LA – A four-month multi-agency law enforcement operation targeting violent gangs and drug trafficking networks across Louisiana has resulted in 742 arrests and significant seizures of weapons and narcotics, federal authorities announced.
The coordinated effort, which began in October 2025, involved federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together to dismantle criminal organizations operating throughout the state. Authorities recovered 176 firearms and seized substantial quantities of illegal drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana.
“The FBI and our partners used targeted enforcement in high crime areas to get drug dealers, violent gangs, and criminals off the streets,” said FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp. “We are focused on drug cartels and violent gangs wherever they are operating all over the country.”
The operation specifically targeted supply chains and financing networks while focusing on arresting leadership figures and their criminal associates, according to federal officials.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana Zachary A. Keller emphasized the collaborative nature of the effort. “This operation demonstrates the power of federal, state, and local law enforcement working together to dismantle violent criminal networks,” Keller stated.
A separate component of the broader initiative, dubbed Operation NOLA Safe, was designed to address violent crime ahead of the Mardi Gras season. This operation alone resulted in 175 arrests and the seizure of 114 firearms, along with over 20 kilograms of cocaine, more than one kilogram of fentanyl, and 102 kilograms of marijuana.
Federal authorities also confiscated more than $250,000 in cash and over 41,000 prescription pills during the various operations. Officials indicated that the enforcement actions are expected to generate long-term follow-up investigations.
The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans office participated alongside the FBI and local agencies in coordinating the multi-jurisdictional effort across central and northern Louisiana regions.
Law enforcement officials stressed their commitment to community safety, with agents utilizing intelligence gathering, surveillance operations, and tips from local residents to identify and apprehend suspects involved in violent criminal activity and drug distribution networks.
