Former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Luis Castillo have been arrested in the Dominican Republic on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, Dominican Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez announced Tuesday.

The target of the operation is Cesar Emilio Peralta, known as "Cesar the Abuser."

"Eighteen other people are linked to this network, including athletes and baseball players Octavio Dotel and Luis Castillo," Rodríguez said in a press conference (via nydailynews.com), calling it "the most important drug trafficking structure in the region."

More, via the New York Daily News:

Rodriguez said that Peralta is behind the ring that helped funnel drugs from the Dominican to the United States. Peralta allegedly used baseball players, members of his family and social circles to help hide the origins of his assets. More than 15 clubs, 10 restaurants, six shopping malls, three commercial plazas and 20 apartment buildings were raided as part of the crackdown, per Diario Libre. U.S. agencies participated in the investigation, Rodriguez said. Local officials said that a 1,050-kilogram shipment of drugs heading from South America to Puerto Rico was one of several seizures linked to Peralta's ring.

Further reports indicate the FBI and DEA has been involved.

Dotel, 45, spent 15 seasons in the majors, playing for 13 different teams, most notably as part of a killer back-end of the Astros' bullpen with Brad Lidge and Billy Wagner. He worked 951 innings in the majors, pitching to a 3.78 ERA. He won a World Series ring with the 2011 Cardinals. He made over $40 million in his playing career. He was born and raised in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

Castillo, 43, also played 15 seasons. He spent 10 years with the Marlins, four with the Mets and two with the Twins. He was a three-time All-Star who hit .290/.368/.351 with 1889 career hits, 1001 runs and 370 stolen bases. He twice led the majors in steals and won a ring with the 2003 Marlins. He made over $56 million in his playing career.

Castillo has denied the allegations that he's involved.