Federal authorities in Southern California showcased the biggest domestic seizure of methamphetamine in DEA history on Wednesday.
CBS News reports that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration revealed the outcome of raids that took place this month, which resulted in an astonishing 2,224 pounds of meth seized after one Oct. 2 investigation. "These two seizures are more than enough to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman and child in the United States and Mexico," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy J. Shea said during a press conference on Wednesday. 893 pounds of cocaine and 13 pounds of heroin were also seized.
A sizable portion of the drugs had reportedly been concealed in duffle bags, which were passed between cars in public, CBS Los Angeles reports. Detectives spotted one such exchange at a Sam's Club parking lot, although task force members have been investigating the huge drug ring with connections to the Sinaloa drug cartel since June this year. Search warrants employed in the investigation were served at stash houses across Riverside County cities, including Moreno Valley and Perris.
"The largest DEA domestic seizure of methamphetamine in history is a significant blow to the cartels, but more importantly, it is a gigantic victory for communities throughout Southern California and the United States who have had to deal with the torrent of methamphetamine coming into their neighborhoods," added Shea.
The DEA said that Los Angeles is often the preferred location for drug traffickers since it's easier to blend in cities. "They can break the drug loads down and do distribution throughout the country," said the DEA's Bill Bodner.
