More than 20 arrested in Rialto sweep
RIALTO — Three months of undercover work netted Rialto police a large number of suspected drug dealers this past weekend.
Lt. Joe Cirilo said Monday that the operation began when undercover officers began buying narcotics from suspected dealers in the Jackson Street area of Rialto. Search warrants were issued Friday. The sweep began at 3 p.m. and ended around midnight.
Cirilo said more than 130 officers from various law enforcement agencies took part in the sweep, focusing mainly on Jackson Street and surrounding areas, near Cactus Avenue and Baseline Road. More than 20 people were arrested.
K-9 units from the California Highway Patrol and police departments in Rialto and Montclair, a city located 20 minutes west of Rialto, participated in the raids. Cirilo also said a county unit — San Bernardino Movement Against Street Hoodlums, or SMASH — took part in the sweep.
“They go from city to city, and assist and provide resources to help get individuals who are committing crimes,” Cirilo said. “It happened to be our turn this time.”
Along with 25 arrest warrants on drug-related charges, police also service another 40 warrants for other crimes committed in the area, said Cirilo.
Suspects were booked into the West Valley Detention Center in nearby Rancho Cucamonga.
“Sometimes, it takes a team effort to make something like this successful,” Cirilo said. “The SMASH unit has been in place for a long time — years. It’s something we’re trying to help our citizens know we’re working to keep them safe.”
