45 arrested in crackdown on Riverside gang violence

Forty-five suspected gang members and associates have been arrested in a crackdown on gang violence in a Southern California neighborhood.

Authorities announced Friday that the joint operation by police and the California Department of Justice in the Eastside area of Riverside also resulted in seizure of 63 firearms, illegal narcotics and evidence of gang membership.

The investigation followed murders, attempted murders, drive-by shootings and assaults, which officials say occurred when gang members and associates were released from custody and began trying to regain control and power.

Riverside County prosecutors have so far filed criminal cases against 22 adults and three minors.