Farmington, Alamogordo, Ruidoso and Hobbs homes searched in DOJ investigation of Bandidos

Jessica Onsurez, Carlsbad Current-Argus
·2 min read

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday it had searched locations in 14 New Mexico communities as part of an operation targeting alleged members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club.

Drugs, weapons and ammunition were seized as a result of the searches executed in Farmington, Alamogordo, Ruidoso, Hobbs, Capitan, Arabela, Los Lunas, Rio Rancho, Belen, Tome, Grants, San Rafael, Gallup and Albuquerque, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.

Among the seizures were 151 firearms, fentanyl, meth and cocaine, investigators said.

Dive deeper: Bandidos: 5 things to know about second-most dangerous motorcycle gang

Just two persons ― Kenneth Martinez and Henry Mascarenas ― were arrested as a result of the multiagency operation, according to the news release. Law enforcement said charges are pending against at least one other person.

The investigation targeted 25 alleged gang members that law enforcement said it perceived as "the most criminally active and loudest voices advocating for continued violence."

“Today, we joined forces to take significant law enforcement action to disrupt an outlaw motorcycle gang trying to establish a foothold in our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda in the news release.

The operation, according to the DOJ, was initiated following the shooting incident that resulted in three deaths and several injuries in Red River, New Mexico in May. Law enforcement allege that members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club and a rival club, the Water Dogs were to blame, when a dispute at a wedding turned violent.

Three persons were arrested and charged related to that incident, though a first-degree murder charge against one suspect was dropped in June.

“The ongoing violence involving outlaw motorcycle gangs across our state has a negative impact on all the citizens of New Mexico. The law enforcement community owes it to those we serve to come together and stop this behavior,” said Troy Weisler, Chief of the New Mexico State Police, in the news release.

Jessica Onsurez can be reached at jonsurez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JussGREAT.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: 2 arrested amid Bandidos Motorcycle Club investigation in New Mexico