Authorities in Massachusetts say 21 people are in custody in connection with a large-scale drug trafficking operation in the Greater Lowell area that also included the trafficking of firearms.The Middlesex District Attorney's Office said the arrests were made at multiple locations early Tuesday morning as a result of a multiagency investigation that took place over several years.Law enforcement officers seized hundreds of grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and Xanax; 11 guns; and more than $100,000 as a result of the 32 search warrants executed Tuesday."This really disrupts a lot of the supply chain," said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan.Since 2019, the Lowell Police Department and other law enforcement agencies conducted multiple undercover purchases of narcotics and identified several people suspected of being involved in a large-scale drug supply chain ranging from sellers in bulk to street-level distributors."The pieces that we were putting together made it clear that this was a very large-scale operation," Ryan said.The investigation continued for the purpose of identifying the source of the drugs and storage locations. In October, a Middlesex Superior Court justice issued a wiretap warrant authorizing the interception of electronic communications relating to drug trafficking.Over the course of the investigation, authorities gathered evidence that suggested Lowell resident Hector Arriaga was leading and operating a drug-trafficking enterprise that was self-named the "Cocaine Cowboys." The operation is alleged to have included dispatching runners to purchase drugs, cutting and packaging those drugs for resale and taking and filling orders from customers."We basically took out an organization that was distributing an estimated 5 (kilograms) of cocaine on the streets of the Merrimack Valley each week — and if you look at it, about 250 (kilograms) a year," said Lowell police Supt. Barry Golner.The following people were charged as a result of the investigation:Hector Arriaga, 32, of Lowell — trafficking fentanyl over 10 grams (three counts), trafficking in cocaine over 100 grams, trafficking fentanyl over 200 grams (two counts), trafficking in firearms, distribution of a Class B controlled substance (cocaine, two counts), trafficking cocaine over 200 grams (two counts), possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, conspiracy to: traffic in fentanyl over 200 grams, traffic in cocaine over 200 grams, distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine) and distribute a Class A controlled substance (fentanyl), conspiracy to traffic in firearmsAngel Castro Penaloza, 26, of Lowell — distribution of a Class B controlled substance (cocaine), possession with intent to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine), conspiracy to traffic cocaine over 100 grams and to distribute a Class A controlled substance (fentanyl), trafficking fentanyl over 200 grams, trafficking cocaine over 200 gramsZachary LaPorte, 27, of Winter Haven, Florida — trafficking cocaine over 200 grams, conspiracy to traffic cocaine over 200 grams and to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine)Rafael Mejias, 24, of Lowell — trafficking fentanyl over 10 grams, trafficking fentanyl over 18 grams, trafficking cocaine over 36 grams, conspiracy to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine) and traffic over 200 grams of cocaineRuben Torres, 22, of Lawrence — trafficking cocaine over 100 grams, trafficking cocaine over 200 grams, trafficking cocaine over 18 grams, distribution of a Class B controlled substance (cocaine)Anthony Flores, 29, of Tyngsborough — trafficking fentanyl over 200 grams, possession of a firearm, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, conspiracy to traffic cocaine over 200 gramsJohn Miller, 29, of Lowell — trafficking cocaine over 200 gramsRandall Tremblay, 31, of Lowell — conspiracy to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine), trafficking cocaine over 200 grams, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession with intent to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine)Jason Pais, 31, of Lowell — conspiracy to traffic cocaine over 100 grams, trafficking in firearms, trafficking a large-capacity feeding device, distribution of a Class B controlled substance (cocaine), carrying a firearm, carrying a shotgun, possession of a large-capacity firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a large-capacity feeding device, possession of ammunition, trafficking cocaine over 36 gramsWanda Quinones, 54, of Kingston, New Hampshire — trafficking cocaine over 100 grams, trafficking fentanyl over 36 grams, possession with intent to distribute Class B controlled substances (cocaine, oxycodone, methadone, Suboxone), conspiracy to traffic cocaine over 100 gramsJesse Morales Martinez, 27, of Lowell — conspiracy to traffic cocaine over 200 grams, trafficking cocaine over 18 gramsBenyalis Mejias, 22, of Lowell — conspiracy to traffic over 200 grams of cocaineRoberto Lopez, 32, of Lowell — distribution of a Class B controlled substance (cocaine), trafficking in fentanyl over 10 grams, conspiracy to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine)David Sandoval, 31, of Lowell — conspiracy to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine), trafficking cocaine over 200 grams, trafficking fentanyl over 100 gramsIsaiah Colon, 20, of Lowell — conspiracy to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine), possession of a firearmDavis Ngoun, 22, of Lowell — conspiracy to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine) and to traffic cocaine over 100 grams, distribution of a Class B controlled substance (cocaine), possession with intent to distribute a Class A controlled substance (fentanyl)Juan Troncoso, 19, of Lowell — conspiracy to distribute a Class B controlled substance (cocaine)Junior Frett, 39, of Lowell — conspiracy to traffic cocaine over 100 grams, possession of a firearmRaynel Hilario, 35, of Methuen – trafficking cocaine over 200 gramsBetsy Martinez, 46, of Lowell – trafficking cocaine over 100 gramsGuelmin Manon, 35, of Lawrence – possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance (cocaine), possession of ammunitionAuthorities expect most of the people above will be arraigned Wednesday in Lowell District Court. Hilario was arraigned Tuesday in Lawrence District Court.The investigation, which involved the Massachusetts State Police, New England Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and others, is ongoing. Evidence is still being processed, so authorities said additional charges are possible.According to authorities, law enforcement officers still have arrest warrants for five other people.