Sweep targets ID thieves

Las Vegas police, the FBI and other agencies Monday conducted a sweep of possible white-collar criminals with Eastern European ties that netted at least 20 local arrests.

A law enforcement source close to the investigation, who asked not to be identified, said the suspects who were arrested were wanted on local and federal charges in crimes that involved credit card fraud, forgery, money laundering and weapons violations.

The source said that at least 20 people were arrested throughout the Las Vegas Valley with the aid of the FBI, Secret Service, Henderson police and a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department.

Two or three other suspects were arrested in Southern California on Monday, the law enforcement source said.

The suspects were responsible for raking in more than a million dollars illegally, said the source, who called that a "conservative estimate."

"Picking up this many in a fell swoop is outstanding," the source said. "These are some of the more prolific criminals and were some of the most sought after here."

The source said a trademark of the suspects involved stealing identities and using fake credit or debit cards to take out money at casinos and defraud businesses. The source said the suspects would use the fraudulent cards to buy items and then sell their purchases.

The source said those arrested Monday belonged to several organized crime groups from countries such as Russia, Bulgaria, Armenia and Albania.

"The common identifier is they're all from Eastern Europe," the source said. "That doesn't mean they are one organized crime syndicate with a hierarchy."

A Las Vegas FBI official could not be reached for comment.

Bill Cassell, a Metropolitan Police Department spokesman, would not answer any questions about the Monday arrests of suspects with gang ties to Eastern Europe.

He said that Las Vegas police were involved in a joint operation Monday with multiple law enforcement agencies that was deemed successful.

He said the U.S. attorney's office would release a statement on the matter. He also said a news conference was expected to be held today to discuss the operation.

The last sweep local authorities conducted to arrest suspects with organized time ties occurred in late October.

In that instance, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson police, with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, arrested seven valley men who were possible members of the Mongols motorcycle gang.

Most of the suspects arrested faced federal charges of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine.

The seven arrests largely dismantled the Mongols' two local chapters in Las Vegas and Henderson, authorities said.

Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.