Violent crime, gang activity in U.S. Minnesota near all-time high: CBS

A member of the Minnesota National Guard stands guard outside the Hennepin County courthouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the United States, March 9, 2021. (Photo by Ben Brewer/Xinhua)

Since the spring, multiple agencies carried out crime crackdown in the state, focusing on carjackings, illegal possession of firearms, and drug trafficking.

NEW YORK, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Some violent crimes and gang activities in the U.S. state of Minnesota are near an all-time high, CBS last week cited the U.S. Attorney's office.

"By their actions, their weapons and their words, violent offenders are displaying an absolute disdain for the law," said U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, who was joined Friday morning by federal, state and local law enforcement to talk about arrests and what they've learned.

Law enforcement agencies have learned a lot about changes in criminal behavior, said Luger, noting that "what used to be knives are now guns. What used to be guns are now machine guns."

Luger said law enforcement has encountered criminals with more militaristic and deadly weapons, such as Glock 19s equipped with switches that turn the handguns into automatic machine guns. Body armor and laser scopes have also been recovered.

Since the spring, multiple agencies carried out crime crackdown in the state, focusing on carjackings, illegal possession of firearms, and drug trafficking. Leaders said that they've made hundreds of arrests and recovered thousands of fentanyl pills. ■