Twenty-one arrested for 'large-scale' drug ring at Duke and UNC fraternities

Twenty-one people have been arrested for running a large-scale drug ring at and around the University of North Carolina, Duke University and the Appalachian State University.

U.S. attorney Matthew Martin, a UNC alumnus, said Wednesday hat the ring was comprised of "hardened drug dealers."

"This is a large drug network and supply chain fueling a drug culture at fraternities and within these universities and around these universities and towns," he said.

The suspects are accused of moving thousands of pounds of marijuana, hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, as well as LSD, MDMA, magic mushrooms, steroids, HGH, Xanax and other narcotics.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office, in North Carolina, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Agency launch an investigation in 2018 into cocaine being sold around the Chapel Hill area. It was soon discovered that the distribution chain led back to UNC fraternities. Phi Gamma Delta, Kappa Sigma, and Beta Theta Pi were singled out at university for being the headquarters of the illicit drug ring.

"Dealers set up inside these houses, poisoning fellow members of their fraternity, fueling a culture. And that's why I say today is about saving lives. Because this reckless culture has endangered lives," Martin said.