COLUMBUS, Ohio — Eighteen people accused of being involved in conspiracies to receive imported heroin from Mexico and sell it in central Ohio have been indicted on federal charges.

Authorities say 13 of the defendants were arrested Tuesday in central Ohio. Five others are being sought in California.

Federal prosecutors say workers were smuggled from Mexico to Columbus to distribute and repackage heroin, and runners would reportedly sell the drugs to users in public parking lots.

According to the indictment, a group associated with the suspected drug traffickers also was running a fake immigration identification business.

Prosecutors say the defendants wired money to Mexico from storefronts in Columbus on multiple occasions.

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