Interactive: Cocaine road map
Mexican cartels smuggle drugs across the U.S. through a web of independent distribution cells. The cells can move drugs from the border to the East Coast within days. The cells also return the cash proceeds to cartel bosses in Mexico. Roll over image for details. Click tabs to see other steps in the smuggling process. <br><br><a href=”http://www.latimes.com/cartel”><b>Complete Coverage</b></a>
Sources: Court documents, Times reporting by Tom Reinken and Richard Marosi. Graphic and interactivity by Raoul Rañoa / Los Angeles Times. Graphics are schematic.
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