ATLANTA — A man known globally as “Brother Wang,” considered a major figure in international drug trafficking, has been arraigned on federal charges in both New York and Georgia following his capture.

Zhi Dong Zhang had been a top-priority target for the U.S. Department of Justice. He is accused of trafficking large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States, and laundering millions of dollars through more than 100 shell companies.

U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia says Zhang’s arrest disrupts a “poison pipeline” that has operated for nearly a decade across Mexico, the U.S., Europe, and Asia. He described “Brother Wang’s” multinational network as intricate, coordinated, and well-funded.

The arrest is a major milestone in a years-long, multi-agency investigation. Zhang is being held pending trial and faces a possible life sentence.