UNION COUNTY — Federal prosecutors indicted 10 Union County men in a drug operation that they said operated for a dozen years and put hundreds of pounds of drugs on the streets.
The suspects were part of a crack-cocaine conspiracy that handled more than 53 kilos, or about 120 pounds, of crack over that time, prosecutors said in an indictment that was sealed until Thursday morning.
They also ran a cocaine conspiracy that put more than 136 kilos, almost 300 pounds of powder cocaine, on the streets in Union County over that time, prosecutors said.
Guns were also part of the conspiracy, and police seized several handguns in the operation.
Five of those indicted made their first court appearances in Charlotte federal court Thursday and are being held without bond until detention hearings Tuesday.
A search of state prison records showed that six of those named in the indictment have previous drug convictions and four of those have spent time in prisons for drugs.
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