Dozens of people were apprehended Thursday night as part of a criminal task force operation in central Phoenix.
According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, state troopers detained 35 people in the Valley for outstanding warrants, DUIs, drugs, and firearms violations during Operation Desert Guardian. Officials did not specify how many arrests came under each category.
Governor Katie Hobbs issued an executive order establishing the operation in February 2025. The effort seeks to crack down on criminal cartels operating along Arizona’s 370-mile border with Mexico.
Since March 1, 2025, authorities claim the operation has resulted in the confiscation of millions of dollars in drugs and more than a thousand guns across the state.