Sunday afternoon, Fresno police made a major bust at a home on Glenn Ave., near Blackstone and Belmont.
Officers say it was a Bulldog gang operation. They arrested one of its members, 28-year old Jesse Castro. Police say he was carrying a loaded gun when officers stopped him.
Guns, knives, ammunition and drugs. You name it and the renters of the house at the corner of Glenn and Thomas had it.
“This is a good dent in our fights against gangs,” said Lt. Mark Salazar of the Fresno Police Dept.
For police, this bust started with a tip that the home was a hub for illegal activity.
“Throughout the day we were watching this house and we had up to 10, 15, 20 bulldogs coming in and out of this house,” said Lt. Salazar.
Officers later moved in and wound up seizing eight guns.
“Six out of those eight weapons were loaded,” said Lt. Salazar.
Lt. Salazar says Bulldogs appeared to be swapping guns in and out just like a student would exchange books at a library.
“They’re sophisticated. They're smart in their own way, but it's our job to get into these houses and get these guns off the street,” said Lt. Salazar.
Officers confiscated hundreds of bullets, a good amount of crystal meth and marijuana, as well as bullet proof vests and a duty belt which may belong to law enforcement agencies.
“So we have to do more follow up work to determine if those were stolen,” said Lt. Salazar.
All of these dangerous items were stashed just a short distance from two elementary schools, Susan B. Anthony and V.A.S.A. charter. Ted C. Wills Community Center is also across the street.
Lieutenant Salazar says those locations factored into why police ran this raid on a Sunday afternoon.
“Less traffic, less people, less community activities and school age kids walking around, so it worked out that way,” said Lt. Salazar.
Police will now run serial numbers and ballistic tests on the guns and check them against past bulldog gang shootings to see if there are any matches to solve some cases.