Federal authorities announced the indictment of 56 persons on drug-smuggling and money-laundering charges, 27 of whom were arrested for their purported links to international drug cartels. The arrests were part of "Operation Watusi," coordinated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), along with the FBI's "Operation Green Traketon" -- operating under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The investigations focused on drug cartels that operated in Puerto Rico, Colombia, St. Martin, Netherlands Antilles, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. ICE spokesman Dean Boyd said simultaneous arrests took place in several countries. Numerous foreign and domestic bank accounts were seized, along with $3.1 million cash, about 4,000 pounds of cocaine and six boats.
