So I happen to live in the town where this went down, I was wondering if any of you have ever heard of it or know any of the other people connected to it? I know this was back in the day, just wondering...

Federal officials today unsealed indictments accusing 170 people of being members of an international drug ring that dealt in more than $1 billion worth of marijuana and cocaine and allegedly laundered some profits through Panama's leader.

United States Attorney Joe Cage said the indictments resulted from the same Federal probe that led to the indictment of Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega, Panama's leader, on drug-related charges.

Mr. Cage said the investigation of two and a half years also stretched into Florida, North Carolina and Michigan where 82 other people have previously been indicted.

''This organization is sophisticated, well orchestrated and rivals any multi-national corporation,'' Mr. Cage said. ''Its sole motivation, greed and money, caused its scope and influence to transcend local, national and international boundaries.'' #1.5 Million Pounds of Marijuana The indictment alleges that the 170 people conspired to import nearly 1.5 million pounds of marijuana into the country. More than 100 of those people are also accused of traveling here to Lafayette, in south central Louisiana, to arrange the importation of 280,000 pounds of marijuana.

Mr. Cage said 500,000 pounds of marijuana was imported to and distributed from Lafayette and several thousand pounds of cocaine was flown to Shreveport, in the northwestern part of the state.

The Louisiana investigation centered to a large extent on shipments of marijuana believed to have been unloaded at the Intracoastal Drydock and Shipbuilding Co. on the Vermilion River near the town of Bancker, La.

The Federal grand jury charged two Abbeville, La., residents, William E. Faciane and James C. Faciane, both employees of the family owned shipyard, with importing 500,000 pounds of marijuana to the Bancker site.

The indictment alleges that General Noriega laundered profits from the sale of 280,000 pounds of the marijuana, but it did not include charges against him.

Mr. Cage said several arrests have been made. Among those indicted are several foreign nationals from Colombia, Panama, Canada and the Cayman Islands, who were believed to be involved in the systematic trafficking of marijuana and cocaine. COLOMBIAN CHARGED IN COLORADO

DENVER, June 17 (AP) - A Colombian who the authorities say is among the world's major cocaine traffickers was indicted with five other people today on charges of trying to establish a cocaine distribution center in Colorado.

The five-count Federal indictment handed up here alleges that Pablo Escobar Gaviria, a principal in the drug-smuggling operation based in Medellin, Colombia, and the five others planned to ship up to 800 kilograms of cocaine a week into the Denver area.

The indictment accuses the men of importing cocaine with the intent of distributing it in the United States.

Mr. Escobar Gaviria, 39 years old, is also under indictment in Florida, on Federal charges of conspiracy to import and distribute drugs, said United States Attorney Michael J. Norton. 7 INDICTED IN GEORGIA

MACON, Ga., June 17 (AP) - A Federal grand jury has indicted seven people in an alleged conspiracy to distribute about 356 pounds of cocaine, some of it mailed to Georgia from United States military post offices in Panama.

The 27-count indictment, handed up Thursday, accuses the seven of conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute.

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/18/us/170-people-are-indicted-in-huge-drug-operation.html