6 LINKED TO $22 MILLION IN COCAINE SALES

A cocaine smuggling cell handled nearly $22 million in drug sales in less
than a year until arrests hobbled the group last week, officials said in
San Antonio on Tuesday.

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton and District Attorney Susan Reed hailed
Friday's six arrests as the product of a joint federal and local task force
investigation nicknamed Operation Alacran (Scorpion). Next to the city's
top prosecutors, some 30 confiscated firearms lay lined up on tables.

The task force accuses the group of moving the drugs from Eagle Pass
through San Antonio to points north, such as Dallas and Chicago.

"A hit like this knocks down a major organization," Sutton said.

Reed said the probe kicked into gear in June when investigators with a
federal and local task force obtained a wiretap and started to
electronically eavesdrop on the drug transactions.

An August raid on a unit of the Roanoke Apartments yielded a safe
containing 55 kilograms of cocaine and four assault rifles. The apartment
also contained two spiral notepads that looked like they were designed for
homework assignments but which proved to be prizes of the raid.

The notepads recorded drug shipments and indicated a cash flow of nearly
$22 million, Reed said.

"And that's just out of that one stash house," she added.

Javier Pena, supervisor of the local Drug Enforcement Administration
office, said three searches and additional traffic stops yielded 17 assault
rifles and 11 handguns as well as $521,000.

The most garish finds included a gold-plated Colt .45 engraved with "El
Vaquero" as well as a jewel-encrusted Rolex that, Pena said, was found at
the Eagle Pass residence linked to Alejandro Noe Castillon.

Castillon, 30, was arrested in the border town, as were two others, while
authorities apprehended three of the suspects in San Antonio . The arrests
were made late Thursday and early Friday.

The suspects remained in detention Tuesday pending bond hearings. Their
lawyers could not be reached for comment.