Second MacArthur Park Drug Raid Results in 5 More Arrests as Fentanyl Sting Continues
If this week’s back-to-back raids prove anything, it’s that federal law enforcement clearly understands the scale of the crisis at MacArthur Park, even if local leadership chooses to ignore the scale of the disaster.
About one week ago, roughly 300 federal and local agents flooded Los Angeles’ iconic MacArthur Park and surrounding streets, launching a massive drug raid in multiple Southern California locations and arresting at least 17 people.
Among those arrested in this action were “Narco Queen” Mallaly Moreno-Lopez and her boyfriend.
US Attorney Bill Essayli just announced a second raid this week that led to 5 more arrests.
On the evening of Thursday, May 14, 2026, Rampart Narcotics Detectives conducted an operation along the 600 block of Alvarado across from MacArthur Park. Officers observed activity consistent with narcotics sales, which led to the detention of five individuals who were also employees of the businesses. During the investigation, fentanyl, prescription medication, and a large amount of U.S. currency were seized.
Five suspects were arrested on state charges, while my office determines whether to bring federal charges with @DEALOSANGELES
against these suspects.We will continue working with our law enforcement partners at LAPD and the DEA to combat narcotics sales and keep our communities safe in and around MacArthur Park.
MacArthur Park Update:
We promised the public a continued law enforcement presence at the park, and today we provide a critical update on an outstanding arrest by @LAPDRampart.
On the evening of Thursday, May 14, 2026, Rampart Narcotics Detectives conducted an operation along… pic.twitter.com/wrptIFOqb1
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) May 15, 2026
Reports indicate that detectives observed activity consistent with narcotics sales before detaining these individuals, who were allegedly working inside nearby businesses.
During the investigation, officers seized fentanyl, prescription medication, and what officials described as a large amount of U.S. currency, according to a statement.
All five suspects were booked on state charges, while federal prosecutors are now reviewing whether additional federal narcotics charges will be filed alongside the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The arrests mark the latest chapter in an aggressive multi-agency crackdown surrounding MacArthur Park, which federal officials have increasingly described as one of Los Angeles’ most entrenched open-air drug markets.
MacArthur park drug crackdown nets more arrests in Fentanyl sting https://t.co/mfliRiPrNc pic.twitter.com/iLUYL1lXU5
— New York Post (@nypost) May 15, 2026
However, it must be noted that free needles are being handed out to drug users in the same park. This was after embattled mayor Karen Bass distanced herself from the program after the first raid.
The California Post was there Tuesday and watched syringes being handed out in the middle of the neighborhood’s spiraling drug crisis. The chaos unfolding around MacArthur Park has become one of the biggest political flashpoints in Los Angeles.
Residents and business owners say the area has spiraled into an open-air drug bazaar flooded with fentanyl, crack, meth and overdose emergencies.
“It’s the third time she has lied,” property owner John Alle told the Post. Alle, one of the loudest critics of conditions surrounding the park said he’s tired of empty promises from Bass.
“She told me at the park, with the chief standing next to me, she was against needle and drug pipe handouts. I asked her if I could quote her on that. She said, ‘I’m against it,’” Alle added.
Karen Bass says no to needles as syringe handouts continue in drug-ravaged MacArthur Park https://t.co/HYmST00klB pic.twitter.com/JQfSIARqPI
— California Post (@californiapost) May 13, 2026
Meanwhile, the California DOJ has been busy as well.
A long-term investigation led to the arrest of an alleged major fentanyl trafficker in Arcadia and the seizure of millions of potentially deadly doses of fentanyl, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Thursday.
“We have arrested another fentanyl trafficker who was poisoning our communities and profiting off addiction,” Bonta said in a statement.
Authorities said the fentanyl haul amounted to an estimated 8.5 million potentially lethal doses with a street value of at least $1.3 million. They also seized 17 kilograms of powder fentanyl, one kilogram of cocaine, and a handgun during the operation.
Authorities seized 17 kilograms of fentanyl during a major drug bust in Arcadia, officials said. https://t.co/kBCUqDRB0j pic.twitter.com/U4RDkyaEsb
— KTLA (@KTLA) May 15, 2026
If this week’s back-to-back raids prove anything, it’s that federal law enforcement clearly understands the scale of the crisis at MacArthur Park, even if local leadership chooses to ignore the scale of the disaster.
Spencer Pratt blasts LA's $40M MacArthur Park plan – 'clean up the Fentanyl zombies first' https://t.co/uxYcWKXmmc pic.twitter.com/63yOZgPrbR
— California Post (@californiapost) April 24, 2026
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Comments
MacArthur Park is melting in the dark.
Someone left some meth out in the rain.
It took so long to bake it, and I’ll never have that recipe again!
Sounds like they recovered the recipe…
That’s actually a Jimmy eb Song
Richard Harris in Nehru jacket and medallion. Yeah, baby!
A movie star who kept getting his nose set after bar fights and had his driving privileges permanently banned throughout the entire world. Those were the days!
la mayor bass claimed that not only wa she tough on crime but also that she will assure that no one is sentenced to prison time so that
communities of color wont be depleted
Legitimately bad when Fed LEO gotta do what the local leadership, with rare exceptions, refuses to do; rousting out a notorious open air drug market. CHICOM visit? Temporarily clean up the homeless encampments. Hosting World Cup events? Grudging cooperation with Feds to clean out the drug market in a public park.
Something is wrong with the math between the number of “potentially lethal” doses of fentanyl seized (supposedly 8.5 million) when compared against the “street value” of “at least $1.3 million).
Taking it at face value, it means the street value (for sale) of a lethal dose of fentanyl is … Fifteen cents? ($1.3 / $8.5 = $0.1529412).
Either the definition of a “potentially” lethal dose is badly defined (like a pure amount of fentanyl vs a highly cut street-sale dose, because they don’t know the actual purity and are calling it “Fentanyl, even though it’s 98% something else), or they are REALLY underselling the money that they just intercepted so as to avoid having to share it with anybody.
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