FBI SEIZES TONS OF POT; 2 FROM INDIANA INDICTED

FBI agents seized more than 3 tons of marijuana Tuesday and arrested 12
people accused of smuggling the drug from Mexico to Indiana, New York and
other states.

Altogether, more than 10 tons of marijuana, 90 pounds of cocaine and more
than $1 million in suspected drug earnings were seized during "Operation
Jaguar."

The investigation began in July 2000 after an Indianapolis shipping company
reported receiving several suspicious boxes from Los Angeles. Agents found
500 pounds of marijuana in the boxes, the FBI said.

The marijuana seized Tuesday was taken from several "stash houses" in the
Los Angeles area, said Cheryl Mimura of the FBI's Los Angeles bureau.

Nearly two dozen locations nationwide were searched.

Federal indictments were filed against 17 people, including Edna Cardenas,
23, and Franklin Cardenas, 23, both of Indianapolis, the FBI said. It was
not clear whether the two were related.

Edna Cardenas was arrested Tuesday, while Franklin Cardenas already was in
custody on other drug charges, the agency said.