Crowd damages cars of plainclothes narcotics officers in Cudahy

Fontana police are searching for a group of residents who damaged the vehicles of undercover officers working a narcotics case in Cudahy on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred on Live Oak Street near the intersection of Florence and Wilcox avenues.

Officers conducting a drug investigation noticed a large crowd forming around them. According to the Fontana Police Department, several individuals in the group believed the plainclothes detectives were federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents running an immigration operation.

The officers attempted to clarify their roles, stating they were local narcotics investigators rather than federal officials. As the crowd grew and became more disruptive, the detectives contacted the sheriff's department for help with crowd control to allow the investigation to continue safely.

During the standoff, members of the crowd damaged the officers' vehicles. Scene images show at least three cars with flattened tires. The department confirmed that no officers were injured in the incident.

The Fontana Police Department said criminal charges will be pursued against those responsible for the property damage. A department statement reiterated that the officers were focused on criminal narcotics activity and had no involvement in federal immigration enforcement.

The vandalism investigation is ongoing as authorities review evidence from the scene to identify the individuals who caused the damage to the police vehicles.