A large drug trafficking syndicate with a profit of 2 billion US dollars was uncovered 76 people were arrested

> A large drug trafficking syndicate with a profit of US$2 billion was uncovered and 76 people were arrested (Alberta Times) The U.S. Immigration Enforcement Agency announced on the 31st that it had uncovered a drug trafficking ring that passed through this state, every...

A large drug cartel that made US$2 billion in profits was uncovered and 76 people were arrested (Alberta Times) The U.S. Immigration Enforcement Agency announced on the 31st that it had uncovered a large-scale drug cartel that trafficked more than 330 tons of illegal drugs from Mexico to the United States through the state every year and made a total profit of nearly US$2 billion, and arrested 76 people, including the "boss" and "horse boy" of the drug cartel. This "Operation Pipeline Express" was jointly launched by more than 20 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States and lasted 17 months. The investigation found that this drug cartel passes through the Western Desert every year and is suspected of trafficking more than $33 million worth of drugs into the United States every month. It was revealed that the drug cartel used secret bases in Chandler, Stanfield and Maricopa to allow backpackers and cars to transport marijuana and other drugs from the U.S.-Mexico border to storage areas near Phoenix. The smugglers then sell these drugs, along with cocaine and heroin, to dealers from all over the United States. Last week, law enforcement authorities raided drug cartel strongholds and seized more than two tons of marijuana, 19 weapons including assault rifles, pistols, and short guns, and nearly $200,000 in cash. Prior to this operation, U.S. law enforcement agencies had conducted two special operations against drug smuggling in mid-September and early October, arresting 6 and 17 drug dealers suspected of smuggling drugs respectively. U.S. law enforcement agencies pointed out that intelligence showed that the busted drug cartel was related to the Mexican "Snarroon" group. It had existed for at least five years and had monopolized the drug smuggling route along the U.S.-Mexico border about 130 kilometers in western Arizona. Law enforcement agencies estimate that over the past five years, the drug cartel has smuggled a total of 1.5 million kilograms of marijuana, nearly 9,100 kilograms of cocaine, and 4,540 kilograms of heroin into the United States, making profits of nearly $2 billion.