Operation Free MacArthur Park

Law enforcement officers, including the Los Angeles Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, conducted an anti-drug enforcement operation at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, following a similar operation in May 2025 that resulted in over a dozen arrests. The May operation targeted individuals and businesses suspected of facilitating illegal drug sales, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, in an area described as an open-air drug market.

Christopher Johnson, an employee of nonprofit People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), was arrested in May for allegedly attempting to sell fentanyl near Los Angeles' MacArthur Park. Found with methamphetamine, fentanyl, cash, and a scale during a traffic stop, Johnson now faces federal drug distribution charges. PATH, which receives 94% of its funding from federal and local governments, operates harm reduction programs including needle distribution in the area.

Federal agents conducted a major crackdown on fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking in MacArthur Park, serving arrest and search warrants in the area. The operation, dubbed 'Operation Free MacArthur Park,' targeted a notorious open-air drug market. Authorities involved federal and local law enforcement agencies.