SEATTLE - Federal drug enforcement agents have arrested 46 people and seized 1,500 pounds of "BC Bud" marijuana, 23 kilograms of cocaine, and 1,100 tablets of ecstacy (MDMA) in the bust of a major drug operation in the Pacific Northwest.

The two-year investigation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and numerous state and local law enforcement agencies.

The initial investigation, dubbed "Operation Frogger," ended in November of 2005 with the dismantling of the organization that smuggled marijuana from Canada and distributed the drug throughout the western United States. In turn, the group allegedly purchased cocaine and distributed it throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada. In this case, 22 people were arrested, and 23 kilograms of cocaine, 1,500 pounds of pot and $1.3 million cash and assets were seized.

The "Frogger" investigation is linked to two other investigations. In a case dubbed "This Buds Pho You," because targets of the investigation would refer to marijuana as "Pho," a type of Vietnamese soup, another 22 people were arrested in the Seattle area on Sept. 6, 2006. In connection with those arrests, agents seized more than 450 marijuana plants, 1,100 tablets of MDMA, some cocaine and more than $3.2 million in cash and assets.

Seventeen of the suspects face federal charges in Tacoma for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and MDMA.

According to the charging documents, the conspirators were heard on a court authorized wiretap brokering deals involving the sale of marijuana and MDMA. One of the defendants, Hung Anh Le, was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, which could result in an enhanced sentence.

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The other investigation that is linked to "Frogger" and "This Buds Pho You" was a Tacoma investigation which also ended on September 6, 2006. An additional 3 people were arrested and 45,000 tablets of MDMA, one (1) kilogram of cocaine, and an indoor marijuana grow operation with 40 plants were seized.

A criminal complaint filed in Tacoma shows that Anousack Sayasack and Phophinh Sayasack are charged in a six count indictment with Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of MDMA with Intent to Distribute, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Residence and various firearms violations.

"In this region, DEA routinely sees the commingling of BC bud marijuana, cocaine, Ecstacy and other illicit drug shipments by drug traffickers and this activity shows that the greed of these narcotics smugglers has no limits," said DEA Special Agent in Charge, Rodney Benson.