One particular Newhall gang got a rude awakening this morning, thanks to the long arm of the law.

Around 6 a.m., a massive law enforcement team – at least 150, according to Santa Clarita Valley Detective Lt. Steve Low – swooped down on 18 specific locations to make arrests and gather evidence from recent crimes.

The team involved the entire Santa Clarita detective bureau, including the COBRA and CIT teams and deputies from Compton, East L.A., Palmdale, Lancaster, Temple City, Lennox and Century stations, along with narcotics and operations detectives, state parole officers, Immigration, Department of Child and Family Services and Santa Clarita Code Enforcement officers.

“Over the last couple of years there has been an increase in gang activity, particularly in the Newhall area, where these gang members were living,” Low said. “They were terrorizing neighbors and businesses in the area. We went to 18 residences and gave them an early-morning wake-up call with the objective of making arrests and recovering evidence used in crimes committed.”

Low said that eight individuals – known gang members – were arrested, including a recent suspect in an assault with a deadly weapon incident. Other charges included possession of narcotics and outstanding warrants.

Also confiscated during the raid were a shotgun, brass knuckles, ammunition, narcotics and gang paraphernalia.

Code enforcement officers noted several violations, which they will return to the area to monitor.

“Obviously we sent a clear message to this gang that the sheriff’s department is partnering with these other agencies and will not stop our pursuit of anyone who is actively involved in a gang,” Low said. “Due to our coordinated gang reduction strategy and the number of gang members put behind bars as a result of this action, we should see a significant reduction in violent gang activity.

“The word is getting out that they know that we know where they live,” he concluded.