Additional Coverage:
Federal agents have dealt a significant blow to the Sinaloa cartel, seizing over $10 million in cryptocurrency and massive amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine in nationwide raids. The DEA, working with the FBI, linked the cryptocurrency directly to the cartel. This comes on the heels of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, son of notorious drug lord “El Chapo,” pleading guilty to drug charges in Chicago.
The nationwide operations, which began in January, have resulted in the seizure of 44 million fentanyl pills, 4,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, and nearly 65,000 pounds of methamphetamine. Acting DEA Administrator Robert Murphy stated that the agency is targeting the cartel’s finances and operations through arrests, seizures, and constant pressure.
Several large seizures contributed to this success. In Galveston, Texas, agents found over 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine, valued at over $15 million, hidden inside a vehicle. Other ingenious smuggling attempts were thwarted, with agents discovering methamphetamine concealed within produce shipments, including cucumbers in Georgia and blueberries in Texas.
The Sinaloa cartel’s ruthlessness remains evident. Recent reports indicate the cartel employed a hacker to infiltrate phone data and Mexico City’s surveillance cameras to target FBI informants. Furthermore, Mexican authorities discovered twenty bodies, some decapitated, in a cartel-related incident, highlighting the ongoing violence associated with the organization.