"This is enough dope to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico"

Today, Federal agents announced  the largest methamphetamine bust in U.S. history.

They displayed a 10-foot high pile confiscated meth  of more than 2,200 pounds seized at stash houses in Riverside County, along with cocaine and heroin.

"This is enough dope to provide a dose of meth for every man, woman, and child in the United States and Mexico," DEA Acting Administrator Timothy Shea said. "Study after study shows that where there is meth addiction, there is also an uptick in violent crime, including robberies, assaults, and murders."

The bust was a a part of Operation Crystal Shield,  a nationwide effort involving 70 to 80 investigators in nine cities including Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and Atlanta. 

The Southern California seizure occurred on Oct. 2, 2020, and included 893 pounds of cocaine, 13 pounds of heroin, and 2,224 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents from Southwest Border Group 2 began investigating a large scale drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in SD Otay-Mesa area, allegedly involved in the transportation and delivery of large quantities of drugs.

The investigation led to search warrants at multiple narcotic stash houses in Moreno Valley and Perris in Riverside County. The drugs were intended for distribution in Southern California.