State and federal authorities have arrested 22 people, seized 500 pounds of methamphetamine and $700,000 in cash in a major international drug investigation dubbed “Operation Road Trip,” according to California Attorney General Kamala Harris.
The arrests announced Monday have alleged links to a Mexican drug cartel, the Sinaloa Federation, according to Harris.
The investigation merged probes by the West Contra Costa County Narcotic Enforcement Team and the Los Angeles Interagency police crime investigation task force and included federal investigators.
Authorities allege that methamphetamine from Mexico was being delivered to the Nitro gang, a drug trafficking group in Southern California. The Nitro gang allegedly made regular road trips to ContraCostaCounty to deliver the drugs to other gangs, including the Urtiz gang in Northern California.
When coupled with two other drug operations dating back to 2011, Harris said coordinated law enforcement efforts have resulted in seizure of 1,109 pounds of meth, with an estimated street sales value of $40 million, 48 firearms, 10 autos and the arrest of 67 people.
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