Twenty-two people have been arrested on drug trafficking and other charges during an early morning border town roundup that woke residents with the sounds of helicopters, bangs and screaming.
Twenty-nine people were charged in 13 criminal complaints with distributing cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana yesterday, said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade.
Besides the 22 who were arrested, five people are fugitives, and two already were in state custody on other charges.
One of the defendants also is charged with illegally entering the United States after having been deported, and another is charged with being a felon in possession of firearms, authorities said.
Wade declined to say if those charged had ties to any Mexican drug cartels.
Authorities said a total of seven search warrants were executed, and 20 weapons, 3 kgs of cocaine, 2 pounds of marijuana and USD 35,000 in cash was seized in the raids.
At one home, federal agents broke through a chain link fence, tore the bars off a window, broke the window and knocked down the front door.
The criminal complaints, which were filed under seal on April 29 and May 6, were unsealed following the early morning roundup.
New Mexico US Attorney Ken Gonzales said the roundup followed an intensive four-month multi-agency investigation that targeted known drug dealers. State and local law enforcement assisted with the raid.
