Federal authorities have seized tens of millions of dollars worth of methamphetamine in raids across California, Arizona and Nevada. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Wednesday, Nov. 7, that it has charged 48 suspected members of the Sinaloa cartel with distributing meth, fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Authorities say that they found more than 8,000 pounds of methamphetamine with a street value reportedly around $72 million, in addition to firearms.
The DOJ says nearly 150 federal, state and local law enforcement officials arrested 25 suspects and performed 15 search warrants in Imperial County, California, Yuma, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Law enforcement officials say that 23 of the suspects connected to the crimes are still on the loose.
Charges in the DOJ indictments include drug trafficking, conspiracy and bulk cash smuggling. If convicted, the charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life behind bars, in addition to a $10 million fine.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said in a statement that the arrests and seizure of drugs is an extreme blow to a major drug-trafficking network.
The Sinaloa cartel is one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations and has long-controlled drug routes into the United States.
The branch of the Sinaloa cartel charged in the indictment is linked to a drug lord known as “El Mayo,” who is currently being held in New York, which operates out of Imperial Valley and Mexicali, Mexico.
