Gang War Warning for L.A.

The Daily Mail reports on mass arrests of the Mexican Mafia gang in Orange County:

More than 120 people linked to street gangs that claim allegiance to the Mexican Mafia - who control most of the drug trade in California - have been indicted on various racketeering, weapons and narcotics charges as authorities attempt to cripple the notorious prison gang's Orange County wing. 

Hundreds of law enforcement officers fanned out across Southern California on Tuesday, making arrests as part of a two-year investigation dubbed, 'Operation Smokin' Aces'
A total of 129 people have been indicted by county and federal grand juries alleging crimes including murder, drug trafficking and extortion. 

The Mexican Mafia, which controls most of the organized crime around LA, San Diego and parts of Arizona sought and received payments from gangs in Orange County in exchange for freely committing crimes in primarily Latino neighborhoods, according to court documents.  

Those who refused were put on lists that often resulted in violent retribution. 

... The indictments are designed to cripple the 1,000 strong gang which operates in the heart of Orange County and across Southern California.

1,000 members isn't very large for a street gang controlling much of Southern California. What is important to remember is that the Mexican Mafia is primarily a prison gang--it gets its control because members of other gangs will, at one time or another, be imprisoned and at the mercy of the gang. Thus, arresting and throwing members in prison may not do much to weaken the gang.

It may be worse, though, if it did weaken the gang because of the resulting power vacuum and turf wars that could erupt, similar to the collapse of the Guadalajara Cartel after the arrest of top leaders spawned the various cartels now in existence in Mexico. The best case scenario is that local gangs step into the fray, because they will likely maintain the status quo as far as the type and distribution of violence ; worst case, the Mexican cartels push aggressively to assert control over the drug distribution in Southern California, and import the violence and tactics employed in Mexico.