Detroit— A judge freed on $50,000 unsecured bond Wednesday an alleged leader of an international drug ring that is accused of peddling hundreds of kilograms of heroin, cocaine and marijuana.

Carlos Powell, who was arrested early Wednesday following a multi-year investigation, must wear a global-positioning device and adhere to a curfew. Powell, 37, declined comment after standing mute to charges in federal court that could send him to prison for life.

One of Powell's alleged associates, former state Rep. Ken Daniels, D-Detroit, also was freed on bond.

During the probe, the feds have seized more than $21 million in cash, 66 pounds of heroin, 12 kilograms of cocaine and 1,000 pounds of marijuana. The size, scope and profits of Powell's alleged drug ring would rank him among the most prolific drug dealers in recent Detroit history.

"This surpasses everybody," said Carl Taylor, a criminologist at Michigan State University who has studied drug trafficking in Detroit. "That's very scary. That's a lot of heroin and a tremendous amount of cash, particularly at this time."

Powell and 11 others were charged in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in federal court...