Bags of meth lie on a table at a press conference. In what has become the largest meth bust in the Central Valley history.
"One of the most noxious, destructive drugs today," said Larry D. Morse, Merced County District Attorney.
330 pounds of meth was seized after a 4 month long investigation. In April, task force agents did what's known as a buy/walk in Livingston. Its when drugs are bought without making an arrest at that time. Agents quickly discovered they had come upon a very large drug cartel from Mexico reaching to the Central Valley.
"The impact is huge! Some of the arrestees are major cartel members," said Ben Buford, Bureau Narcotics Enforcement"
Members of drug cartels are popping up more and more in the Central Valley, cause of Its easy access to highway 99 and the centralized location between northern and southern California. This bust netted 11 suspects in counties of Merced, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Alameda. Agents say many of the meth labs were in SoCal but it was going to be distributed to Central Valley street gangs. Then sold to the public. Agents say this bust will have an impact with crime on our streets.
"If you abuse this drug, you will steal.. You will murder," said Buford.
All 11 suspects are at the Merced County Jail. Several of them were in the U.S. Illegally.
