Feds Arrest Dozens In San Diego As Part Of Meth Ring Crackdown

SAN DIEGO COUNTY -- Law enforcement in San Diego arrested dozens of defendants and seized drugs, guns and money on Tuesday as part of a methamphetamine ring crackdown.

The arrests were made following indictments against 43 members of an alleged San Diego-based methamphetamine distribution ring tied to the infamous Sinaloa Cartel. The indictments were unsealed in federal court Tuesday.

The defendants face drug trafficking and money laundering charges involving meth and GHB distributed throughout the United States, as well as to the United Arab Emirates, according to court documents.

During a multi-agency operation conducted early Tuesday morning, 32 of the charged defendants were placed in federal or state custody, with 11 still at large. Investigators also seized 80 pounds of meth, four firearms and more than $100,000 in cash, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Federal prosecutors allege the drug ring moved ``large quantities of methamphetamine from San Diego to various locations in the United States and internationally, through FedEx and the United States Postal Service.''

Weekly drug shipments netted the ring's leaders ``tens of thousands of dollars in narcotics proceeds,'' according to prosecutors, who said the suspects also created fake FedEx accounts billed to large corporations in order to conceal the drug shipments.

An unspecified number of the defendants were arraigned Wednesday morning.

City News Service contributed to this report.