25 From O.C. Charged in Federal Drug Sweep : Crime: ‘Operation Green Ice’ targeted major players from South American drug cartels, officials said.

About 25 Orange County residents were among those charged this week as part of “Operation Green Ice,” a coast-to-coast federal drug investigation that ended in San Diego on Friday with more than 50 arrests, authorities said.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s operation designed to cripple heroin trafficking and money laundering operations by South American drug cartels had been underway for several years officials said. The Orange County Regional Narcotics Suppression Program, which assisted locally, had been involved for about eight months, Lt. Robert Sayne said.

Fifty people were arrested Friday in San Diego, Houston, New York and Orange County by DEA agents and local law enforcement officials.

Of the 25 Orange County arrests, at least six suspects represent major players in the Orange County drug trade, Sayne said.

“They’re as high in the food chain as you’re going to get in this county,” Sayne said, adding that international drug cartels “have lost some significant people in their organization.”

Authorities identified some of the local leaders as Arnoldo Davalos, 47, of Anaheim Hills; Eleno Gutierrez-Tapia, 34, of Santa Ana; and Luis Gutierrez-Tapia, 22, of Santa Ana. They were among the suspects arraigned in U.S. District Court in San Diego on Monday, Assistant U.S. Atty. Tom Ferraro said.

All three were charged with “conspiracy to launder drug proceeds,” and could face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 fines if convicted, Ferraro said.

Ferraro said that Davalos owns Fiesta Xchange, a currency exchange house in Santa Ana that was used to launder drug money. He alleged that Davalos laundered $491,000 that was brought to him by undercover DEA agents who said it represented proceeds from drug sales.

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The prosecutor alleged that Luis Gutierrez-Tapia once worked for Davalos and referred drug business to his brother, Eleno Gutierrez-Tapia, who is charged with operating a money-laundering operation out of a Placentia office.

Ferraro said that two undercover agents who were hired by Eleno Gutierrez-Tapia saw the business launder about $8.5 million over several years the investigation was in progress.

“It is in a business facility, but it wasn’t open to the public,” Ferraro said. “The only people there brought drug proceeds.”