Seven people were arrested Monday in Milwaukee after drug agents seized 52 kilograms of cocaine in the largest cocaine bust in Wisconsin history.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation had worked with federal government agents on this investigation for a long time.
“Thanks to some outstanding police work on the part of the agents assigned to the DCI Narcotics Bureau, 52 kilograms of cocaine have been taken off the streets and seven high-level traffickers have been arrested,” Wisconsin Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager said in a statement.
Investigators estimate the street value of the cocaine to be at least $10 million.
DCI agents conducted surveillance before locating the source house for 10 kilograms. After obtaining a search warrant, agents seized 10 kilograms of cocaine and arrested four people. They then conducted a consent search of the location and seized an additional 42 kilograms of cocaine.
Later, agents arrested three other men from Los Angeles at a hotel in Glendale, Wis. Only one of the seven detainees is from Wisconsin. The remaining detainees are from California.
Those arrested are believed to be also involved in the distribution of the 52 kilograms of cocaine.
“This case demonstrates the hard work and dedication of our drug-enforcement agents in taking drug traffickers off the streets,” Lautenschlager said.
The men are being held pending an initial appearance Tuesday in a federal court in Milwaukee. The U.S. Attorney’s office in the eastern district of Wisconsin will prosecute the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s office has been fighting the drug problem in Wisconsin by “prosecuting cases like these,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman said.
A representative at Lautenschlager’s office said the attorney general is putting a high priority on fighting the drug problem. State agencies were successful in September in carrying out the largest marijuana bust ever in Wisconsin.
The state also received $5.4 million in federal funds to fight the rising methamphetamine problem.
Wisconsin is not the only state fighting drug problems. In 2000 the federal government seized 234,863 pounds of cocaine, the second-highest amount after marijuana, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. The number of cocaine arrests is historically much higher than arrests for other drugs.
However, marijuana is becoming much more popular, as it is a lighter narcotic. In 2000, national cases involving marijuana reached almost 750,000.
Investigation continues for the recovered cocaine’s source. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in this investigation.
Lautenschlager will hold a press conference about the cocaine bust Wednesday in Milwaukee.
