The two-day operation, which involved thousands of police officers in 19 US states, is the latest aimed at the cartel known as La Familia.

It was part of Project Coronado, which has led to almost 1,200 arrests over four years, officials said.

The US attorney general said the cartel had been dealt a "significant blow".

La Familia, which is based in the western Mexican state of Michoacan, has been accused of carrying out bloody attacks on Mexican security forces.

Mexico's President Felipe Calderon has deployed more than 45,000 troops to fight drug gangs since he took office in December 2006.

However, more than 11,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence in that time.