WASHINGTON, Aug 11 (Reuter) Two major drug operations illustrating the
reach of Mexican cocaine traffickers in the United States have led to the
arrest of at least 89 people in 10 cities, the U.S. Justice Department said
on Monday.

The arrests, including at least 28 on Monday, have been carried out over
several months, but officials said the two operations were now being wrapped
up after having shown that Mexicanlinked groups have come to rival the
Colombians as far east as New York.

Operation Reciprocity and Operation Limelight targeted cocaine trafficking
cells belonging to Amado CarrilloFuentes, who until his death last month was
considered the leading trafficker in Mexico.

``These organised syndicates whose leadership is based in Mexico have dumped
tons of cocaine on New York City and they are moving closer to eclipsing the
Colombians and controlling the U.S. drug market,'' Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) chief Thomas Constantine said in a statement.

A DEA spokesman said Operation Reciprocity had led to at least 41 arrests,
including 28 on Monday. The number was rising throughout the day as more
suspects were apprehended, the spokesman said.

Limelight netted 48 arrests, mostly about two weeks ago, officials
said.

According to the Justice Department, the traffickers hired American truck
drivers from areas such as Battle Creek Michigan, to transport the cocaine
from the U.SMexican border in the U.S. Southwest all the way to New York. On
the return trip, they brought back cash to the traffickers.

The two operations together led to the confiscation of about 11 tons of
cocaine and more than $18 million.

Indictments were unsealed on Monday in New York, El Paso, Texas, Grand
Rapids, Michigan and Tucson, Ariz., but arrests have been made in at least 10
cities across the country.

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