FBI Arrests 35 in San Diego County Sweep Targeting Mexican Mafia Associates
FBI agents came under fire Wednesday during a sweeping investigation into an alleged Mexican Mafia-linked drug operation in San Diego County. Authorities arrested 35 people and confiscated firearms, narcotics and cash in the crackdown.
The shooting occurred around 6:10 a.m. as agents arrived at a residence in Lemon Grove to serve an arrest warrant, the Justice Department said.
After announcing their presence, the agents were met with multiple gunshots fired from the home’s front door and a window.
Agents briefly returned fire before withdrawing to a safe location. No one was injured. Tactical teams then surrounded the property, and the suspect eventually exited and was taken into custody. The circumstances surrounding the gunfire remain under investigation.
The shooting did not halt a two-day operation involving hundreds of law enforcement personnel. Four federal indictments charged 42 alleged gang members and associates; 35 suspects had been arrested, 10 search warrants had been carried out and seven fugitives remained at large as of Thursday afternoon.
Investigators focused on Varrio Hidden Hills, a Poway street gang that authorities describe as increasingly violent and allegedly connected to the Mexican Mafia.
Prosecutors identified John Marquez, 49, as the alleged leader of an international drug-trafficking network accused of moving methamphetamine and fentanyl into communities across California.
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Court records allege that Marquez directed distribution networks, established prices and arranged for drug proceeds to be sent back to suppliers in Mexico.
In one alleged conversation with a supplier, Marquez discussed an impending trip to Mexico and reportedly said: “I have to count some money and send it to Sinaloa.”
According to court documents, the organization sold methamphetamine for between $750 and $900 per pound and purchased fentanyl for $12,500 to $13,000 per kilogram.
“These arrests strike at the heart of this violent, sophisticated, Mexican Mafia connected criminal gang,” U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon said.
The investigation began in mid-2024 and expanded across several California communities, including San Diego, Chula Vista, Oceanside, Riverside and Temecula.
The defendants are charged with crimes involving the distribution and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.
