Probe of Mexican Drug Cartel Leads to Nearly 1,200 Arrests in U.S.

In a series of recent raids throughout the United States, federal authorities have arrested nearly 1,200 people who they say are connected to one of Mexico's most aggressively expanding and deadly drug trafficking cartels, known as La Familia Michoacana, law enforcement officials told The Times' Washington bureau.

At least 300 of the arrests occurred today and Wednesday in California, Texas, Georgia and numerous other U.S. locations where the crime syndicate has set up bases to engage in drug trafficking, extortion and other crimes, authorities said.

The crackdown, dubbed "Project Coronado," was described by one knowledgeable source as the largest single strike in the United States against the Mexican cartels, based on a multi-agency investigation that lasted nearly 3 1/2 years. The source said authorities seized huge amounts of drug, money and evidence that can be used to go after more senior members of La Familia.

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