"Operation Loaded Dice": Federal and Local Task Forces Net 144 Arrests in Expansive Southern Nevada Gang and Narcotics Crackdown

LAS VEGAS, NV — In a major coordinated strike against violent crime rings and illicit narcotics pipelines across the Las Vegas Valley, federal prosecutors and regional law enforcement leadership announced Saturday afternoon that 144 individuals have been taken into custody under a joint initiative dubbed Operation Loaded Dice.

The multi-agency campaign—detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada alongside the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD)—mobilized specialized tactical squads from the U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, ATF, and DEA.

The targeted sweep zeroed in on violent repeat offenders, fugitive felon warrants, illegal ghost-gun manufacturing rings, and street-level distribution crews linked to transnational drug cartels operating throughout Clark County.

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|       OPERATION LOADED DICE ENFORCEMENT DOSSIER        |
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|  - Operational Codename: Operation Loaded Dice         |
|  - Lead Agencies: U.S. Marshals Service (NV FIST),     |
|    FBI Violent Crimes Squad, ATF, DEA & LVMPD          |
|  - Prosecuting Authority: U.S. Attorney's Office,      |
|    District of Nevada & Clark County District Attorney |
|  - Operational Briefing: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026       |
|  - Total Arrests Logged: 144 Suspects Apprehended      |
|  - Target Profiles: Violent Felony Fugitives, Gang-    |
|    Affiliated Gun Traffickers, Cartel Fentanyl Hubs    |
|  - Contraband Interdicted:                             |
|      • Dozens of Illegal Firearms & Converted Autos    |
|      • Multi-Kilogram Seizures of Meth & Fentanyl      |
|      • Hundreds of Thousands in Illicit Cash Proceeds  |
|  - Primary Federal Statutes: 18 U.S.C. § 922/924       |
|    (Armed Career Criminals & Unlawful Firearm Deals)   |
|  - Detention Facilities: Clark County Detention Center |
|    (CCDC) & Federal Custody at Lloyd D. George Court   |
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Dismantling Syndicates Across the Valley

Operation Loaded Dice was executed across multiple command sectors, with federal agents and Metro SWAT units executing pre-dawn high-risk search warrants in the northeast valley, downtown corridors, and residential enclaves in the southwest.

Investigators reported the seizure of dozens of illegal weapons, including untraceable ghost guns, Glock switches converting handguns into fully automatic machine pistols, and high-capacity drum magazines.

In addition to weapons suppression, the DEA and Metro Narcotics units seized wholesale batches of counterfeit prescription pills pressed with lethal doses of fentanyl, high-purity crystal methamphetamine, and illicit cash proceeds.

“This coordinated takedown sends an unmistakable message across Southern Nevada: if you bring illegal weapons, gang intimidation, and lethal narcotics onto our streets, the full weight of federal and local law enforcement will track you down,” federal prosecutors stated Saturday. “The 144 arrests made during Operation Loaded Dice dismantle violent networks that endanger everyday families in this community.”

Aggressive Federal Charging Matrix

Defendants netted in the sweep are now processing through dual tracks of the judicial system.

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|             JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS & NEXT STEPS          |
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|  • Federal Indictments: U.S. District Court grand      |
|    juries unsealing felony drug trafficking & weapons  |
|    charges carrying mandatory minimum sentences        |
|  • State Prosecution: Clark County District Attorney's |
|    Office pursuing local felony robbery & assault cases|
|  • Pretrial Detention: Federal magistrate judges      |
|    holding initial status and detention hearings       |
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Suspects facing federal indictments under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) directives face steep penalties without eligibility for federal parole, while state defendants with active felony bench warrants are undergoing initial appearances at the Regional Justice Center.

Metro officials confirmed that intelligence gathered during the sweep will support proactive foot patrols and gang suppression details throughout the remainder of autumn.

Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada Press Desk, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Public Information Office, Las Vegas Review-Journal Crime Wire.