U-S Attorney Ron Parsons says local, state, Tribal and Federal agencies are all working together, and the results are huge.

Three large drug operations have been taken down in South Dakota in the past year.

One – led by Quantiae Harris of Las Vegas introduced powdered fentanyl to the region, which is more potent and deadly than the pill form.

Harris and the leaders of the two other operations in the state have all been convicted, along with leaders in their organizations.

Drug cartels are known to quickly replace local and regional leaders who are arrested.

U-S Attorney Ron Parsons says officials are putting on a full-court press to foil drug cartel efforts to replace those who’ve been taken out of circulation.

As prosecutors and law officers apply pressure at the local level, the military and U-S Justice Department have been working to cut off the deadly flow of drugs outside of the nation’s borders.

Parsons says Mexico’s recent action to take out a drug cartel leader has also made a big difference.