Chicago Police officers arrested 45 gang members on the city's West Side on Monday in a joint city-federal operation, recovering $1.6 million in narcotics and eight firearms.

The arrests of members of the Traveling Vice Lords and Four Corner Hustlers were announced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy at a press conference. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also participated in the gang and narcotics take downs.

"These take downs are the result of partnerships between the Chicago Police Department, our federal partners and the input of the community," Superintendent McCarthy said. "This is just the beginning—we are going to be addressing gang violence in a new, comprehensive fashion to ensure that Chicago is a safe place to live, work and play for residents of all our communities."

Operation Triple Threat focused on members of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang, which operate in the Harrison (11th) District.

The Chicago PD's Narcotics Division also concluded a two-month investigation into an active narcotics location in the Austin (15th) District, charging 15 offenders with drug-related offenses and effectively dismantling a drug market with estimated daily sales of approximately $7,000.

"The streets of our city belong to our children and the law-abiding residents of Chicago, not to gangbangers and gangs," said Mayor Emanuel. "Whether in Lawndale or Austin, violence in any part of our city is unacceptable and that is why I've tasked Superintendent McCarthy and First Deputy Al Wysinger to implement a comprehensive strategy that will tackle the unique gang problem Chicago has to make our streets city safer."