48 charged in Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug trafficking network in Southern California
EL CENTRO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) — The Department of Justice announced Wednesday the unsealing of five federal indictments charging 48 alleged members of a significant drug trafficking organization based in Imperial Valley. The group, reportedly linked to the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, is accused of distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, as well as smuggling bulk cash across the border.
In a coordinated operation early Wednesday morning, the DOJ said more than 140 federal, state and local law enforcement officers arrested 25 suspects and executed 15 search warrants across multiple locations, including Imperial County, San Diego, Los Angeles, Stockton, Yuma, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Authorities are still seeking 23 fugitives connected to the case.
The sweeping investigation has led to the seizure of more than 8,000 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as substantial amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin. The indictments charge the defendants with crimes such as drug trafficking, conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling, the DOJ explained.
Court records indicate the organization operated primarily in the Imperial Valley and Mexicali, Mexico, with strong ties to "Los Rusos," which authorities consider as one of the most violent and influential factions of the Sinaloa Cartel.
"This investigation is a significant blow to traffickers responsible for flooding our communities with deadly drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine," said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. "With the indictment of four dozen individuals, we are not only disrupting a major drug trafficking network but also taking significant steps to protect our community from the devastation these drugs cause. We are committed to dismantling these dangerous operations and ensuring that those who fuel the crisis are held accountable."
Special Agent in Charge Shawn Gibson of Homeland Security Investigations San Diego echoed those sentiments, emphasizing that the operation's success is a testament to the power of coordinated action between law enforcement agencies. He said, "By working together, we each bring a unique skillset to the fight against these trafficking organizations and can disrupt and dismantle cells like these."
El Centro Sector Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino stressed that operations like these send a clear message to criminal organizations. "The Sinaloa Cartel and any other criminal organization will fare poorly here in the Imperial Valley as we have just seen," he stated.
The investigation, which utilized undercover operations and multiple wiretaps, also led to several large narcotic seizures, the DOJ explained further. One significant bust occurred on April 27, 2022, when agents intercepted phone calls about a major drug sale, leading to the discovery of 256 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the cab of a tractor-trailer.
Authorities are urging anyone with information related to the fugitives or the trafficking network to come forward.
