SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Ten people who were arrested in a federal and local methamphetamine raid stretching from San Francisco to Gilroy were brought in handcuffs to U.S. District Court Wednesday afternoon to be formally charged with conspiracy and distribution of the drug.

FBI spokesman Joe Schadler said 10 search warrants and 14 arrest warrants were executed in San Jose, Gilroy and San Francisco beginning at 6 a.m.

"We believe this was a family-run business, the individuals have a familial relationship," Schadler said. "We believe they are responsible for distributing at least 20 pounds of meth a month… most of it from Mexico."

The raids were conducted by officers from the FBI, San Mateo Narcotics Trafficking Task Force; state Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, the INS and local police departments.

The ring had been the target of a two-year investigation and was headquartered in San Jose.

Nine of those who were arrested were among a total of 14 named in a grand jury indictment that was unsealed during the arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Edward Chen in San Francisco.

Those seven men and two women pleaded not guilty to methamphetamine conspiracy and distribution charges. Chen gave them dates to appear next week before a different magistrate for detention hearings. They will remain in custody until then.

The 10th defendant brought to court was charged separately in a federal criminal complaint and will return to court Thursday for identification of a defense lawyer.

Schadler said three other defendants named in the indictment are in custody but did not appear in court Wednesday. One was arrested in Stockton, one is in state custody and one is in state prison, he said.

"This has been a great success," Schadler said. "We have taken a major meth distribution right off the map...We hit them from the top to the bottom today."

The raids took place at 2627 Harrison St., San Francisco; 1150 Monterey Blvd, San Francisco; 1142 Via Ferrari, San Jose; 1302 Panoche Ave., San Jose; 1234 Panoche Ave, San Jose; 2867 Garden Dr. San Jose; 389 Perrymont , San Jose; 200 Ford Rd. , San Jose; 525 Madera Ave., San Jose and 8952 Del Rio Circle, Gilroy.