The ICE operation that authorities say resulted in the arrest of an MS-13 kingpin spanned both sides of the Missouri River, with one arrest taking place in Omaha, Nebraska, and one taking place in Council Bluffs, Iowa, ICE confirmed Thursday to The World-Herald.聽
A World-Herald analysis of a video of the arrest suggests that the Council Bluffs arrest took place near 35th Street and Nebraska Avenue.
The agency was not releasing the MS-13 suspect鈥檚 name because the arrest was part of an ongoing investigation.
ICE said the suspect is wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide of five victims, attempted aggravated homicide, deprivation of liberty and terrorist organization affiliation.
ICE also arrested 30-year-old Rene Saul Escobar Ochoa, who the agency said is a known associate of the MS-13 kingpin. An ICE spokesperson they were likely living together in Omaha.聽
Escobar Ochoa is wanted in El Salvador for giving orders to fellow gang members to commit a variety of crimes, including multiple homicides, extortion, imprisonment and drug trafficking.
He is being held at the Hardin County Correctional Center in Iowa, about 80 miles north of Des Moines.聽
The Nebraska State Patrol in a聽聽Thursday morning said its Fusion Center tipped off U.S. Homeland Security that the suspects were in Omaha, which led to the arrests.聽
The Fusion Center connects law enforcement agencies across the country and world.聽
An Omaha Police spokesperson said ICE notified them of the operation, but were not asked to help out.
The Council Bluffs Police Department and Pottawattamie County Sheriff鈥檚 Office said they were not notified by ICE ahead of the arrest of the alleged "MS-13 kingpin" or were involved.
U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts praised the arrest of the two alleged MS-13 gang members on social media Wednesday.聽
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