The Chaldean mafia is a

criminal organization Organized crime (or organised crime) is a category of transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally th ...

composed of ethnic Assyrians that have operated narcotics distribution networks from Phoenix and

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

. Involved in violent crimes such as armed robbery,

arson Arson is the crime of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, wat ...

assault An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in crim ...

homicide Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...

, and

kidnapping In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...

Police investigations

The work of the Detroit Metropolitan Violent Crime Task Force—with representatives from the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and its principal Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement age ...

, the

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE), commonly referred to as the ATF, is a domestic law enforcement agency within the United States Department of Justice. Its responsibilities include the investigation and prevent ...

(ATF); the

Drug Enforcement Administration The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA; ) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating drug trafficking and distribution within th ...

(DEA), the Detroit Police Department, the Michigan State Police Department, and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office—resulted in the conviction of 111 subjects and the seizure of $5.3 million, 6.5 tons of

marijuana Cannabis, also known as marijuana among other names, is a psychoactive drug from the cannabis plant. Native to Central or South Asia, the cannabis plant has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various tra ...

, 25 kilograms of

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly recreational drug use, used recreationally for its euphoria, euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from t ...

, five pounds of

crystal methamphetamine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Metham ...

, and 78

firearm A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes ...

s. In 2011 "Operation Shadowbox", a joint investigation between

El Cajon, California El Cajon ( , ; Spanish: El Cajón, meaning "the box") is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, east of downtown San Diego. The city takes its name from Rancho El Cajón, which was in turn named for the box-like shape of the va ...

police and the U.S.

into the trafficking of narcotics, firearms and explosives, allowed for the seizure of more than 13 pounds of

methamphetamine Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamph ...

; more than 5 pounds of

ecstasy Ecstasy may refer to: * Ecstasy (emotion), a trance or trance-like state in which a person transcends normal consciousness * Religious ecstasy, a state of consciousness, visions or absolute euphoria * Ecstasy (philosophy), to be or stand outside o ...

pharmaceuticals A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy (pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the medical field and rel ...

crack cocaine Crack cocaine, commonly known simply as crack, and also known as rock, is a free base form of the stimulant cocaine that can be smoked. Crack offers a short, intense high to smokers. The ''Manual of Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment'' calls ...

heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and brow ...

and

; and more than 3,500 pounds of

, most of which was likely smuggled through mastermind Furat Kalasho of Sterling Heights partnered with the Sinaloa Federation. Investigators also seized more than $630,000 in cash, three luxury cars, 34

firearms A firearm is any type of gun designed to be readily carried and used by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see Legal definitions). The first firearms originated in 10th-century China, when bamboo tubes c ...

and four improvised explosive devices.

Operation Shadowbox

"Operation Shadowbox" was a joint investigation between El Cajon Police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. On August 18, 2011 sixty Chaldeans were arrested at a Chaldean Social Club in El Cajon, near San Diego. This operation targeted mastermind Furat Kalasho of Sterling Heights, MI. SWAT teams served search warrants on the club late Wednesday night, seizing more than $160,000 in cash as well as evidence of illegal gambling.

References

* George Knox, 2008, The Chaldean Mafia: A Preliminary Gang Threat, http://ngcrc.com./ngcrc/chaldprof.htm, National Gang Crime Research * Louis Akrawi, * Detroit Free Press (Harry Kalasho murder), 2010, * Court of Appeals Document (Ray Akrawi), 2010, http://cases.justia.com/us-court-of-appeals/F2/951/350/257887/ * Court of Appeals Document (Louis Akrawi), 2010, * Sign On San Diego, "60 Arrested", 2011, http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/18/60-arrested-el-cajon-chaldean-organized-crime-case/

Citations

{{Organized crime in Detroit Mafia Assyrian gangs Organized crime by ethnic or national origin Iraqi-American history Assyrian-American organizations Organized crime groups in the United States Gangs in Detroit

Police investigations

Operation Shadowbox

See also

References

Citations