A Twin Cities man was sentenced earlier this month to more than two decades in prison for his role in an international drug trafficking operation.

In March, Clinton James Ward pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of conspiracy to distribute meth and one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. Court records show he was sentenced to 23 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Ward had originally been facing a total of 19 counts for working with Mexican cartels to distribute drugs into the United States.

Officials described the operation Ward was involved in as "sprawling" and said it spread a "truly staggering" amount of drugs across Minnesota.

In five years, Ward allegedly made millions by importing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to the Twin Cities via "an expansive net of distributors" in what officials call the most prolific drug operation in Minnesota history.  

Drugs were moved under Ward's order by shipping containers, private vehicles and semi trucks before they were broken down into smaller quantities and sent to Minnesota, according to officials. 

The DEA and FBI jointly seized more than 1,600 pounds of meth, 30,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills, kilos upon kilos of cocaine, $2.5 million in trafficking proceeds and 45 guns from Ward's Mexican residence. Officials believe the amount of drugs seized is a drop in the bucket compared to the amount distributed.

Ward was arrested last year in Mexico by DEA and FBI agents. He was extradited to the U.S., where he became one of the few Americans ever charged with the "kingpin statute," or the Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute (CCE).

Fourteen others were charged in connection with the operation.

Note: The video above originally aired Aug. 6, 2024.