(11/02/06) MANHATTAN - U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez announced Thursday the U.S. Marshal Service arrested more than 12,000 wanted men and women, several of whom were on Long Island.

Operation Falcon III is the third leg of a massive interstate police effort made by hundreds of state and federal law enforcement agencies. Gonzalez claims the 24-state team confiscated more than 230 firearms. According to Gonzalez, the nationwide operation led to the arrests of 10,700 fugitives, 360 gang members and 1,600 sex offenders. He says 971 of those sex offenders were unregistered.

More than 100 wanted felons on Long Island were captured. Police say Long Island's efforts focused on the worst of the worst, like sex offenders.

In April, Operation Falcon II successfully arrested an additional 10,000 individuals.