US bust nets drugs, cash
2007-08-29 14:13
Kansas City, Kansas - An 18-month, multistate investigation yielded 22 indictments and the seizure of large quantities of drugs and cash in the United States, authorities said.
At least 16 of the 22 people indicted were in custody, US Attorney Eric Melgren said on Tuesday.
The drugs - mostly marijuana and cocaine - originated largely in Mexico and were brought in for distribution in the Kansas City area, where most of the suspects were from, officials said.
"In years gone by, we've seen it go through on the interstate highway system," said Don Medrala, assistant special agent in charge of the US Drug Enforcement Agency's office in Kansas City, Missouri. "This was going to stay here."
Taking part in the investigation were DEA investigators in the cities of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Tucson, Arizona; El Paso, Texas; Richmond, Virginia; Wichita, Kansas; and Orlando, Florida, Melgren said.
Over the course of the investigation, dubbed "Operation Loadrunner", authorities seized more than 22kg of cocaine and more than 1 134kg of marijuana, he said.
The conspiracy netted more than $13m for the ring, Melgren said, and authorities have seized more than one million dollars.
Melgren said his office would seek to seize real estate and other property, valued around $12m, in Tucson, Arizona; Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.
Each of those named in the indictment faces one conspiracy count. Several face charges of using a cellular phone in furtherance of drug trafficking, and some are charged with money laundering.
- AP