PHOTOS: Lake County gang crackdown nets dozens of arrests in 2016

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Friday, January 6, 2017

WAUKEGAN, Ill. (WLS) -- A gang crackdown in Lake County, Illinois, has netted dozens of arrests and a "significant" amount of drugs and guns in 2016, authorities said Thursday.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office created its Gang Task Force in mid-2015 to target criminal gang activity, including narcotics, human trafficking, gun trafficking and money laundering.

In its first full year, authorities said the task force arrested numerous gang members - whose mugshots are seen in the gallery above - and confiscated 37 firearms. The task force also seized 34 kilograms of powder cocaine (worth more than $3.4 million), more than 9,000 grams of cannabis (worth $186,200), more than 1,400 grams of heroin (worth $175,000), more than 500 prescription pills (worth more than $10,000), 70 grams of crack cocaine (worth $7,000) and 21 capsules of ecstasy (worth $420).

The Lake County Sheriff's Office asks anyone with information on gang and/or drug related activity is encouraged to call the Gang Task Force Tip-Line at: 847-377-4424 or Lake County CrimeStoppers at: 847-662-2222.