A vicious drug war has come to the island home of 4 million Americans, which is being used as a transshipment point to the East Coast. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports.By Gabe Gutierrez, NBC NewsSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The raids begin before dawn. Fierce knocks followed by shouts of “Policía!” rattle neighborhoods while a helicopter hovers overhead.
On this day in late September, heavily armed agents swarm otherwise peaceful-looking homes throughout the island.
Follow @NBCNewsUS (http://twitter.com/NBCNewsUS)In Toa Alta, outside of San Juan, one suspected drug trafficker surrenders without incident. Amazingly, no neighbors wander outside to see what’s going on. They must already know -- or would prefer not to.
By 8 a.m., 16 people are in handcuffs, facing charges that include drug trafficking and money laundering.
The arrests are part of “Operation Overtime.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations special agents, working with officers from the Puerto Rico Police Department and San Juan Police Department, launched the initiative to combat drug trafficking in the Caribbean.
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