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Multistate sting nets $45-million in drugs

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published March 1, 2007

WASHINGTON - Dozens of people accused of working for one of Mexico's largest drug cartels were arrested Wednesday in a multistate operation that netted more than $45-million worth of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine, federal officials said.

At least some of the drugs were carried over the U.S.-Mexico border on a bridge made from sandbags partially submerged in the Colorado River outside of Yuma, Ariz., authorities said. All of the narcotics were sneaked into the country on the porous Southwest border exploited by the cartel, believed to be led by Victor Emilio Cazares-Gastellum.

In all, the 20-month sting, code-named Operation Imperial Emperor, so far has swept up 402 people, including 66 on Wednesday who were arrested in California, Arizona and Illinois.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was to announce the arrests at a news conference in San Diego. The investigation began in nearby El Centro, Calif.

Cazares-Gastellum, also known as Victor Emilio Cazares-Salazar, was indicted in the sting but not arrested, officials said. Authorities said his workers included U.S. citizens and Mexican nationals who distributed the drugs in 23 states. They will face either federal or state charges.

Authorities said the cartel shipped or drove tons of the drugs from Colombia and Venezuela to Mexico. From there, they were taken over the southwest border and broken down in Los Angeles, San Diego and other cities before being distributed nationwide.

The drugs were distributed in Nevada, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Colorado, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Texas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Washington and Oregon.

Fast Facts:

The cache

Among the items so far collected by the Drug Enforcement Administration:

- 27,229 pounds of marijuana

- 9,512 pounds of cocaine

- 705 pounds of methamphetamine

- 227 pounds of pure methamphetamine

- 11 pounds of heroin

- $6.1-million in property and assets

- An estimated 100 weapons and 94 vehicles

[Last modified March 1, 2007, 01:11:00]