Pot times July 16, 2005

17 Charged

URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1123/a08.html
Newshawk: Larry Seguin http://www.reconsider.org/

Pubdate: Thu, 14 Jul 2005
Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Johnson Newspaper Corp.
Contact: http://www.ogd.com/letter.htm
Website: http://www.ogd.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689
Author: Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

17 CHARGED

INDIANAPOLIS - Seventeen people face drug charges for their alleged involvement in a cartel that smuggled cocaine from Mexico and California to Chicago and Indianapolis, officials said Wednesday.

A federal indictment issued Tuesday alleges a conspiracy involving more than 60 kilograms of cocaine worth $6.6 million during a four-month period in 2004.

The indictment alleges Juan Carlos Bermudez of California, as the head of the conspiracy, allegedly directed a shipment of Colombian cocaine into the United States in vehicles outfitted with secret compartments and driven by paid couriers.

Money was then smuggled back to Bermudez' base in Mexico in the same compartments, officials alleged.