Avast, Me Hearties! Feds & Cops Nab Harbor Gateway Area Bilge Rats in 'Operation Pirate Town'

Los Angeles police and federal agents are shown at a news conference Thursday April 28, 2011 in Los Angeles to present the results of massive sweep against a Los Angeles street gang accused of drug and weapons trafficking. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

At least 80 arrests were made today in the Harbor Gateway and Wilmington area this morning by a combined force of Los Angeles Police Department officers and agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and other federal agencies. It was called "Operation Pirate Town," and the targets were gang members belonging to Rancho San Pedro,or "RSP," according to LA Now.

"The RSP origins date back to the 1970s. Its membership includes 600 documented members, as well as more than 400 associates," explains the ATF.

This morning's raid was the end result of an over two-year-long investigation.

The bulk of the charges in today's arrests stemmed from weapons and narcotics violations on the state and federal levels.

In a press conference held today, authorities detailed the charges and some of the findings of the raids, which are part of a concerted effort by police to crack down on illegal activities and gang violence in the Harbor Gateway region.