Police say drugs seized were worth over $1.2m. 37 people are charged as a result of investigation
US authorities have seized nearly 13 kilograms of suspected heroin and arrested at least 37 people in four states as part of a massive joint investigation targeting an international smuggling ring that smuggled cocaine and heroin to New York, California and Texas.
The Drug Enforcement Administration released a detailed summary of the investigation Thursday.
Some of the people arrested face charges for conspiring to distribute illegal drugs.
The DEA said the suspects were charged as a result of its investigation in New York, California, Texas and Virginia.
Authorities had announced their arrest warrants as a crackdown on the smuggling ring last week.
In New York state, eight people were arrested in Rochester. California authorities have charged four people, including a woman who allegedly flew from Rome to Orlando, Florida, to pick up a kilogram of heroin.
In Texas, state authorities say three people were arrested in Houston and Fort Worth, among other cities. And Virginia authorities arrested a man in Brunswick.
Authorities said the suspects smuggled both cocaine and heroin. The narcotics were allegedly shipped through international mail.
The DEA says the sting was part of a global drug investigation launched in 2010. It resulted in an initial seizure of 37 pounds of cocaine in New York and a subsequent seizure of 659 pounds of heroin. That bust netted $13.8m in cash.