Feds: Mexican Drug Cartel Thwarted In DC Area

WASHINGTON - Authorities blocked a notorious Mexican drug cartel from gaining a foothold in the nation's capital with a series of arrests and indictments in a massive trafficking scheme, police said Wednesday.

Eight illegal immigrants were arrested over the weekend in Georgia and North Carolina, and on Tuesday a federal grand jury in the District indicted all eight plus a ninth man who remains at large.

Authorities said they seized about 80 pounds of crystal meth with a street value of more than $3.5 million, by far the largest meth seizure in Washington's history. The previous record was about two pounds.

"Usually we see (crystal meth) the size of pebbles," said John Torres, special agent in charge of the Washington office of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "In this case we're talking icicles."

D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier says they also seized 10 gallons of liquid meth, more than 1,000 grams of cocaine, 11 pounds of marijuana, three guns and more than $35,000 in cash.

Those arrested have links to the "La Familia" drug cartel in the Mexican state of Michoacan, police said. Authorities were eager to keep the cartel from gaining a foothold in Washington because of its reputation for brutality.

"They have no qualms about using violence _ murder, kidnapping," Torres said.

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