SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- Twenty-eight people have been indicted on drug-trafficking charges, accused of smuggling marijuana through the mail from California to Puerto Rico.
Among those arrested Tuesday was Christian Soto, the son of the mayor of Canovanas, who aspired to a seat in the island's House of Representatives. Prosecutors identify the younger Soto as one of the ringleaders. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
Eleven arrest warrants were issued for suspects in San Diego and Los Angeles, and one warrant was issued for a U.S. resident from Mexico, said Laila Rico, a spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration's Caribbean division.
The indictment states that the group's suppliers in California bought marijuana from Mexico and sent it to Puerto Rico, where it was distributed across the island, said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodriguez.
The suspects in Puerto Rico would pay for the shipments by hiding cash in magazines bound for California, or fly there with money in hand, according to the indictment.
Officials accuse the suspects of trafficking at least a ton of marijuana and of earning a total of $5 million.
"We have seized their money, properties, and cars but most significantly, we have broken their pipeline of drug trafficking," said Javier Pena, special agent in charge of the DEA's Caribbean division, in a statement.
If found guilty, the suspects could face a minimum of 10 years in prison.
