Over $50M Worth of Meth Tied to a Mexican Drug Cartel Seized, Florida Sheriff Says

More than $50 million worth of methamphetamine linked to a Mexican drug cartel was seized in a months-long drug operation of Florida's Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to WWSB, it was the largest meth seizure in Polk County's history so far. In a statement, Polk County Sheriff's Office said six people involved in the drug trafficking operation with a Mexican drug cartel were arrested.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the HSI initiated a joint probe of a drug trafficking organization with ties to the Juarez Mexican drug cartel early this year, WFLA reported.

Florida's County Sheriff's Office Makes Largest Meth Bust

Juarez Cartel is one of the oldest drug cartels and most powerful criminal organizations in Mexico. The said Mexican drug cartel is responsible for smuggling tons of narcotics from Mexico into the U.S.

Dubbed "Operation Dirty Water," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the investigation started on Jan. 14 when investigators found a package shipped from Quebec, Canada, containing roughly 2,500 Xanax pills.

After the parcel was intercepted, the Polk County Sheriff's Office made a controlled delivery to a home in Winter Haven. It resulted in the arrest of 37-year-old Amber Cayson and the seizure of 24 pounds of THC edibles, 2.4 pounds of marijuana, and a pound of meth.

As the investigation moves forward, investigators learned of a suspected drug trafficker in Georgia, who is Brian Stanton, 37, known as "Lil B."

Police said Stanton, who arranged for the sale and delivery of methamphetamine in Polk County, is currently imprisoned in a federal prison in Atlanta, Georgia.

The organizations teamed up to prove Stanton's role even inside the jail. They said the suspect coordinated a shipment of about 26 pounds of methamphetamine from Georgia to Polk County, Florida.

One of the suspects, identified as Jennifer Meers of Stone Mountain, Georgia, allegedly delivered on Mar. 13 a suitcase with 12 large bags containing 26 pounds of meth to an undercover detective at a hotel in Lakeland, Florida.

After the delivery, the 43-year-old suspect, who is on federal probation for drug trafficking, returned to Georgia. On Mar. 19, Stanton arranged for another 35 pounds of methamphetamine to be delivered again by Meers to undercover detectives.

The detectives arranged to pick up the drugs from inside Meers' truck near her place of employment in Atlanta on Mar. 30. When they got the drugs from Meers' truck, they found a suitcase with 16 bags containing about 35 pounds of meth.

After being arrested, the female suspect told the detectives that Stanton would arrange the delivery of the meth and pay her $500 for every kilo or 2.2 pounds that she delivered.

Authorities said that Meer's arrest led to the location of three meth conversion labs in Georgia. And it resulted in the arrest of three people and the seizure of 1,416 pounds of crystalized and liquid meth.

Drug Trafficking Organization With Ties to Mexican Drug Cartel

Key suspects arrested in this drug trafficking operation with ties to the Juarez Mexican drug cartel were Meers, Stanton, and Cayson.

Stanton is still at the Atlanta U.S. Penitentiary. He is being charged with conspiracy traffic in methamphetamine, trafficking in methamphetamine, and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.

Authorities said that Stanton's criminal history includes 26 arrests in Georgia, including charges of trafficking in methamphetamine, conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, furnishing alcohol to a minor, threatening a law enforcement officer, and numerous parole and probation violations.

Stanton's current sentence runs through 2040. Other related arrests include Crescencio Ornelas-Loza, 30; Luis Ornelas-Martinez, 50; and Isidoro Palacios; 59.

Reports said that the subsequent raid of the meth lab also unveiled an illegal rooster fighting ring belonging to Palacios.

WATCH: Operation Dirty Water: Full Sheriff Judd Press Conference on Meth Bust - From Fox 13