Drug agents and SWAT teams from across the Bay Area raided 22 homes in the South Bay and East Bay early Tuesday morning.
NBC Bay Area was the only news team on the ground as SWAT teams moved in. Dubbed "Operation Dragon," agents targeted the notorious street gang known as "Insane Viet Thugs" or I.V.T.
Agents arrested 16 people, including the suspected ring leader, Luc Tien Tran of San Leandro, also known as "Piggy."
They confiscated $5 million worth of pot, $100,000 cash, computer equipment and several firearms, including a sub-machine gun.
Agents said the I.V.T. is responsible for robberies, burglaries, murder and attempted murders.
During the coordinated pre-dawn raid, SWAT teams used a bullhorn, then fired a cuncussion grenade inside the homes.
The I.V.T. claims the color blue. Tuesday 16 of them are wearing orange, as they sit in jail, waiting to tell their stories to a judge.
