100 SOUGHT IN U.S. DRUG CRACKDOWN

WASHINGTON - Federal agents targeted a violent Mexican drug-trafficking
cartel yesterday, executing about 100 arrest warrants in the United States
and Mexico as they cracked down on the flow of millions of dollars of
Colombian cocaine into south Texas from Mexico.

Drugs were concealed on produce trucks carrying limes, carrots, peppers and
other vegetables, and were taken to New York, Chicago, Houston, Memphis and
Columbus, Ohio, for distribution, a Drug Enforcement Administration
official said.

The State Department is offering a $2 million reward for information
leading to the capture of Osiel Cardenas Guillen, the head of the cartel,
who was indicted on criminal charges unsealed in Brownsville, Texas,
yesterday for conspiracy to distribute drugs and assault on a federal officer.

DEA officials said he goes by the moniker "the friend killer" because he
allegedly has murdered associates who botched drug operations. He is also
accused of attempting to harm U.S. federal agents.

Officials from the DEA, FBI, the Customs Service, and local and state
police departments participated in the multimonth effort dubbed "Operation
Impunity II" to combat the distribution of cocaine and marijuana.

Now they hope to apprehend Cardenas Guillen, who is believed to be at large
in Mexico and is considered dangerous.

By late afternoon, 57 people had been arrested, the DEA said.