DRUG RAIDS NET MORE THAN 50 ARRESTS

SANTA FE - More than 50 people were arrested Wednesday in drug
raids authorities say were aimed at three cocaine rings operating in
northern New Mexico and southern Colorado.

The raids, which began about 6 a.m. throughout northern New Mexico,
netted 21 people on federal charges and 30 people on state charges,
U.S. Attorney Norman Bay said.

"I want to make it clear that this is just the beginning," Donald
Gallegos, district attorney based in Taos, said at a news conference
called to discuss the raids. "There are still people out there who
make money off of people's misery and death. And they're out there
poisoning our children and families. I think today shows we're not
going to put up with it."

Both the state and federal charges involve cocaine conspiracy, cocaine
distribution, maintaining a place of distribution or use of cocaine.
Authorities said the investigation took a year.

"The indictments in this case allege that several cocaine importation
and distribution organizations are responsible for distributing
multiple kilograms of high purity cocaine in northern New Mexico and
southern Colorado," Bay said. The charges name 69 people - 43 on
state charges and 26 on federal - but not all of them were arrested
Wednesday. Five of those not immediately arrested faced federal charges.

Charles Barth, a supervisory assistant U.S. attorney, said the charges
involved three separate rings, but that "we have a belief that they
were affiliated together and working together."

Most of the arrests came in Taos County, but authorities said one
person was arrested in San Luis, Colo., and one was arrested in San
Diego. Both of them face federal charges.

Authorities also filed forfeiture actions to seize residences in Taos
County and San Luis.

The federal indictments were handed up Jan. 30 and unsealed Wednesday,
Bay said. Gallegos filed the state charges.

More than 200 federal, state, county and local law enforcement
officers took part in the raids in Taos, Ranchos de Taos, Questa,
Cerro, Amalia, Arroyo Hondo, El Prado and Red River.

The investigation was coordinated by the Organized Crime and Drug
Enforcement Task Force, which includes the FBI, Drug Enforcement
Administration, New Mexico Region 3 Narcotics Enforcement Task Force,
the state police, the sheriffs' departments in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba
and Taos counties and the police departments in Los Alamos, Santa Fe,
Espanola, Taos and Questa.