MOSCOW, March 27 (RAPSI) - A California state senator was arrested Tuesday on charges of arms-trafficking conspiracy and honest services fraud as part of a large-scale crackdown on organized crime, according to a statement by US Prosecutors.  

Senator Leland Yee was among 26 defendants charged in a criminal complaint targeting San Francisco’s Chee Kung Tong (CKT) organization.

The organization’s “Dragonhead” (leader) Raymond “Shrimpboy” Chow was among the dozens of defendants arrested Tuesday.

The investigation leading to the charges was guided by a special agent with the FBI who was able to infiltrate the group’s ranks, forming a direct relationship with its leader.

According to the announcement, “The undercover agent was inducted into the CKT as a ‘Consultant.’ Thereafter, during the course of multiple undercover operations, the undercover agent was allegedly introduced to a number of the defendants in order to launder money, traffic narcotics, traffic in firearms, traffic purportedly stolen cigarettes and liquor, and engage in murder-for-hire schemes.”

The agent eventually used his CKT connections to purchase various firearms and two ballistic vests. The agent allegedly negotiated a murder-for-hire scheme, the sale of stolen credit cards, and the purported sale of cocaine as well, among other illegal activities.

A CKT consultant included among the list of defendants has raised campaign funds for Yee since at least May 2011. 

The complaint alleges both that Yee was involved in an arms-trafficking conspiracy, and that through the course of 2012, Yee and the CKT consultant mentioned above raised campaign funds for Yee’s Secretary of State bid by soliciting donations from undercover agents in exchange for official acts.

As an example, the statement asserts that the consultant “requested that the undercover agent provide a campaign donation on behalf of Yee, for Yee to facilitate a meeting with the arms dealer with the intent of the undercover agent to purportedly purchase a large number of weapons.”