Two men allegedly connected to Mexican drug cartels were arrested last week in New York City while in possession of around $1.2 million worth of methamphetamines. They were soon thereafter released from custody according to the state’s liberal bail laws.
In a statement on the arrest, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Frank A. Tarentino III said that the arrest is an indication of the “calculated treachery by Mexican Cartels” to drive addiction up in the U.S. in order to expand markets and increase profits.
Luis Estrada and Carlos Santos are alleged to have rented a vehicle in California that they then drove to New York. They brought with them around 165 pounds of crystal meth that authorities believe came from Mexico.
When DEA agents arrested Estrada on July 5 outside a Marriott hotel in Lower Manhattan, he was allegedly carrying a suitcase containing more than 40 pounds of meth.