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Authorities served dozens of warrants in the Bay Area this morning as part of a massive California Department of Justice operation targeting a violent Richmond gang known as "Deep C," state officials said. 

The operation, described by the Department of Justice as a "gang takedown," was carried out at various locations starting at 7 a.m. 

Forty-three arrest warrants and 40 search warrants were served in Contra Costa, Alameda, Marin and Sacramento counties, DOJ officials said.  

Most raids were carried out in the city of Richmond.  

State Attorney General Jerry Brown spokeswoman Christine Gasparac said Deep C, short for "Deep Central," is one of the area's most notorious gangs.  

"They're one of the big ones in Richmond," she said. "The other one is the Project Trojans." 

"There's a whole gang war between the two," Gasparac said.  

State justice officials said Richmond saw 47 murders and 350 shootings in 2007, and that more than half can be attributed to members of the Deep C gang. 

They said the gang is also involved in drug trafficking, robbery, assault, and prostitution. 

One of this morning's raids in Richmond was carried out in the area of Eighth Street and Barrett Avenue. A man answering the phone at a home nearby said he saw numerous law enforcement agents, including a SWAT team.  

Richmond police have declined to provide specifics on the raids, referring inquiries to the Department of Justice.