Operation Daisy Cutter Nets 21 Arrests Across Tahoe Bi-State Region

Authorities in the Lake Tahoe region executed 21 arrest warrants and arrested 15 individuals across California and Nevada as part of a coordinated multi-agency operation targeting cartel-supplied gangs involved in drug trafficking and violent crime. The operation, known as Operation Daisy Cutter and Operation Summer Heat, was the result of a multi-year investigation led by the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office with collaboration from federal, state, and local agencies including the FBI, ATF, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and multiple county sheriff’s offices. Those arrested include Norteño gang leaders and associates accused of trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl while recruiting middle and high school students, sometimes exploiting male recruits to access underage girls. Other defendants include individuals previously deported in 2025, members of outlaw motorcycle gangs such as the Devil's Disciples and Pissed Off Bastards of Bloomington, and gang members linked to fatal overdoses. The operation is part of a larger nationwide FBI effort to dismantle cartel-backed criminal enterprises and reduce violent crime in the Tahoe bi-state region. Additional warrants remain active with further arrests expected as law enforcement agencies continue their unified efforts to disrupt gang activity and enhance community safety.