Major Meth Ring Disrupted, Officials Say

U.S. and Canadian officials said Tuesday they had disrupted a major methamphetamine supply system through an investigation that netted 67 arrests and tons of illegal chemicals.

Many of the alleged brokers, money launderers and go-betweens involved were of Middle Eastern origin, including one New York man -- grocery store owner Alaa Odeh -- whose uncle was recently arrested in Israel’s West Bank on charges of being a member of the Islamic Jihad militant group. Much of the money was funneled to Amman, Jordan, and the West Bank cities of Nablus and Ramallah.

Assistant Atty. Gen. Michael Chertoff, head of the Justice Department’s criminal division, said in Washington no charges directly involved terrorism but the investigation of the money trail would continue.

“We’re always interested in following the money and seeing where the money goes,” Chertoff said at Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters.

The 18-month investigation, dubbed Operation North Star, centered on the shipment of pseudoephedrine -- a common nasal decongestant that in large amounts is a key ingredient in methamphetamine -- from three Canadian companies to the Southwest.

The charges were brought in indictments unsealed Tuesday in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as in cases brought in Canada. Among those charged are six current or former executives with the Canadian companies Frega Inc., Formulex and GC Medical Products who allegedly diverted thousands of pounds of pseudoephedrine to the U.S.

Most shipments were trucked through Detroit, often hidden within legitimate loads of bottled water, bubble gum and other goods. The main brokers were in Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit and Los Angeles, officials said.

Charges were also brought against operators of illicit labs, many in areas around Las Vegas, Phoenix and Los Angeles, as well as transporters and distributors of pseudoephedrine. Officials said more than 34,000 pounds of pseudoephedrine, $3.6 million in cash and six homes were seized.