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(Des Moines, IA) -- 14 Central Iowans have been federally charged in a methamphetamine trafficking operation.
U.S Attorney David Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa says 11 of the suspects were arrested on Wednesday.
"During the operation, law enforcement seized suspected methamphetamine and marijuana, approximately $22,000 in US currency, six firearms, 18 phones, one laptop and one tablet," Waterman said.
Waterman says the arrests were made in Marshalltown, Perry and Des Moines.
They come after an 11 month investigation by a local, state and federal law enforcement.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel says the sale of illegal drugs and meth addiction aren't victimless crimes.
"It's not just the addiction itself. There's families, there's kids, there are communities here in Iowa that are painfully affected by the violence and child neglect that often comes along with drug abuse, " Kowel said.
The US Attorney would not disclose how much suspected meth was seized or the street value. But they say the suspects distributed a large amount of meth.
The investigation is ongoing.