One Officer Wounded as National DEA Sting Nets 217 Cartel Arrests

A Houston police officer was wounded Thursday as a collection of government agencies carried out a sting operation which netted 217 Mexican drug cartel members in cities across the United States.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Houston officer received non-threatening injuries trying to serve a narcotics warrant when an armed suspect opened fire. The warrant came as part of the nationwide crackdown effort on drugs illegally entering the country via the country's southern border, just a week and a half after two ICE agents working in Mexico were allegedly ambushed and one killed by a drug gang.

The recent death of ICE Special Agent Jaime Zapata made Thursday's operations "personal," one ICE agent admitted. The codename of the national sweep was "Fallen Hero," named in Zapata's memory:

The operation brought together efforts of the DEA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and a number of other state and local agencies.

The operation began Wednesday and by Thursday morning, more than $4 million had been seized and more than 200 arrests made.  The agencies are collectively working to send a message to drug cartel operatives in the United States that they cannot get away with illegal activities.

Those arrested Thursday may face federal drug charges or a number of state charges, depending on the evidence collected in each case.

Fox News' John Roberts had exclusive access to the DEA's Command Center in Virginia where the national effort was coordinated: