Federal agents swept across the Twin Cities on Thursday, serving criminal search warrants at more than 20 authorized SNAP retail locations in a coordinated enforcement push dubbed “Operation Cold SNAP.” The sweep brought together special agents from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General and Homeland Security Investigations and was paired with administrative charging letters aimed at the same stores. Authorities said evidence seized during the searches has been referred to federal prosecutors, and that the retailers could be removed from the SNAP program if the allegations are substantiated.
According to a press release from the USDA Office of Inspector General, the effort, described as an ongoing initiative, is focused on identifying authorized retailers suspected of trafficking SNAP benefits and violating program rules. USDA Inspector General John Walk, who attended a pre-operation briefing, warned that “fraudulent SNAP retailers steal from victims that include children who rely on federal nutrition assistance,” and thanked law enforcement partners for the takedown. The OIG said agents executed criminal warrants while FNS simultaneously served administrative charging letters on 20 retailers, with evidence from the searches referred to federal prosecutors.
Who Took Part and What They Did
Local reporting by the Pioneer Press confirmed the OIG’s account and noted that Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office worked alongside OIG. The coverage reports that agents hit multiple storefronts across Minneapolis and St. Paul, and that the administrative letters from FNS could lead to stores being disqualified from SNAP or facing other sanctions. The Pioneer Press article, written by Imani Cruzen, placed the operation inside a months-long federal scrutiny of SNAP activity in Minnesota.
What SNAP Trafficking Means and How Common It Is
SNAP trafficking occurs when retailers exchange SNAP benefits for cash or ineligible items, which is both an administrative program violation and, in some cases, a federal crime. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has estimated retailer trafficking at roughly 1.5% of SNAP redemptions in earlier study periods, while the Government Accountability Office reported SNAP improper payment estimates of about 11.7% for fiscal 2023, figures that highlight the difference between trafficking and broader program payment errors. Federal officials say enforcement sweeps typically focus on high-risk merchants identified through transaction analytics and compliance reviews.
Local Context and Tensions
The federal action lands in the middle of a months-long dispute between Minnesota and USDA over program oversight, capped by a December 23, 2025, USDA demand that Minnesota recertify tens of thousands of SNAP households, a requirement the state’s attorney general called unlawful and sued to block. The Minnesota Attorney General’s office argued the USDA’s recertification directive would strain county services and risk leaving residents without benefits, noting Minnesota’s payment-error rates compare favorably with many states. The dispute has amplified scrutiny of SNAP operations statewide and prompted concern from advocates who say aggressive enforcement can disrupt low-income families’ access to food…