MABLETON — A federal judge on Monday ordered 14 people, including two from Mableton, held on drug and conspiracy charges. A second group of people, including three Cobb residents, charged in a related investigation will go before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman on Wednesday.

According to court information, in January 2011, federal law enforcement officers began investigating a Mexican cocaine and marijuana drug trafficking organization operating in the metro Atlanta area. The organization allegedly used several distributors, brokers and couriers to distribute wholesale quantities of cocaine and marijuana onto the streets of Atlanta and elsewhere, including defendants Nicholas Jackson and his “right-hand-man” Darren Dunlap. During the course of the investigation, approximately eight kilograms of cocaine, 75.6 kilograms of marijuana and $800,000 in cash were seized. Dunlap remains at large.

Alejandro “Patino” Maldonado, 41, and Jay “Borrego” Hernandez-Santana, 32, both of Mableton, were among the people charged in that investigation with offenses including conspiracy to traffic cocaine and marijuana and launder drug money. Two others whose residences are unknown were also charged. They are Eduardo “Quinni” Renteria-Maldonado, 26, and Jesus Uriel Celis-Pineda, also known as “Eustorgio Echeverria-Sanchez,” 50.

“The indictment of these 14 defendants is a step toward making Atlanta a safer community,” U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in a statement.

Amid that probe, authorities discovered evidence of a related methamphetamines ring, and brought charges against five people, including Domingo Najera-Perez, 60, and Alejandro Santana, 45, both of Mableton; and Luis “Neco” Santabanas of Austell.

Anyone with information about the cases should contact the U.S. Marshals Service 24-hour number 1-877-WANTED2 (1-877-926-8332) or the DEA Atlanta Field Division at 404-893-7000