11 indicted following raids by DEA agents

Jace Radke

Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2003 | 10:45 a.m.

Eleven people arrested in Drug Enforcement Agency raids in Las Vegas and California earlier this month were indicted in federal court Tuesday.

All of the defendants, with the exception of one who is charged with money laundering, face drug-related charges of possessing and distributing a controlled substance.

During drug sweeps on Dec. 10, DEA agents allegedly found cocaine, guns and other drugs in the homes and cars of the 12 people arrested, 11 of whom are from Clark County.

One of the 12, Roxana Arteaga, 20, of Las Vegas had the charges she was facing dropped in the case. Nine of the 11 defendants who were indicted were released on bond, and two remain in custody because their arrests broke their conditions of parole for other convictions.

Authorities believe many of the defendants were working together through an organization to traffic the cocaine into Las Vegas.

Search warrants were served at six locations in Las Vegas, as well as 10 cars and four bank accounts in the multi-agency investigation dubbed 'Operation Armed and Dangerous.'