SANTA CRUZ – A Homeland Security Investigations agent no longer has workspace at Santa Cruz Police Department, a police spokeswoman said Wednesday.

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Santa Cruz efforts to restore ‘maintain trust and safety’ disrupted in Homeland Security raids Spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke also said the department will continue to work with Homeland Security Investigations in certain cases, including gang busts and large-scale drug investigations.

The agent, who no longer occupied workspace at the department Friday, was part of the five-year investigation of El Salvadoran gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, in Santa Cruz. The case resulted in federal raids Feb. 13 in Santa Cruz and Daly City.

The sting also detained 10 people based on immigration status only, Deputy Police Chief Dan Flippo said during a press conference Feb. 23. The roundup included 12 arrests on criminal allegations of extortion and trafficking methamphetamine, Police Chief Kevin Vogel said during the same press conference.

Public outcry flared after the police department revealed information about the detainees. The police department responded by denouncing what it dubbed as misinformation by Homeland Security Investigations regarding who would be taken into federal custody. Vogel also said the department would not trust or continue to work with Homeland Security.

“Effective Friday, April 21, the agent no longer had workspace within our police department,” Blaschke said on Wednesday. “It was very professional. I can’t speak on the specific agent. He did work with Santa Cruz police where we were able to dismantle the MS-13 within city limits.”

The agent was in Santa Cruz to help build that case against the notorious urban gang that originated in Los Angeles.

“Like any large-scale investigation, we are still processing evidence and preparing the case for prosecution,” Blaschke said.

The agent’s departure is not the end of all mutual cases by the police department and Homeland Security Investigations, Blaschke said.

“The Santa Cruz Police Department will continue to work with Homeland Security Investigations in cases that involve human trafficking, gangs, child pornography and large-scale drug cases,” Blaschke said.

City Manager Mart#xed;n Bernal announced Tuesday at Santa Cruz City Council’s meeting that the agent vacated the workspace last week.

“The space was used at times to share investigation details regarding the suspected MS-13 gangsters,” Blaschke said.

Homeland Security Investigations spokesman James Schwab said he was working to gather information about the agent’s situation at the police department. He did not respond for comment Wednesday.

The 12 defendants facing criminal charges remain in custody, according to court documents. Their next hearing is slated June 12 in San Jose at U.S. District Court.

The raids are the result of a phone call in October 2011. A Santa Cruz police officer received a tip from an El Salvadoran citizen about MS-13 members selling drugs and threatening people, Flippo said. That lead evolved with tips of businesses “being extorted on Ocean Street” and reports of armed gang members by spring 2012, he added. Given the “large scope of the investigation” and its international nexus, Homeland Security became the lead agency at that time.

The City Council in March passed an ordinance designating Santa Cruz a sanctuary city for immigrants. That ordinance prohibits any city agency from: disclosing information about immigration status; using city resources or property to enforce federal immigration law; or arresting or detaining anyone on an immigration detainer or federal administrative warrant solely issued on apparent violations of immigration law.