Homeland Security indicts 24 accused in cartel-linked drug scheme

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday that authorities disrupted an alleged Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug trafficking network operating across central Tennessee. Twenty-four people were indicted and authorities with the Homeland Security Task Force seized more than 580 kilograms of drugs, as well as cash and firearms, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek said a drug trafficking organization with direct ties to the Sinaloa Cartel moved large quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and other drugs into the communities. Two of its leaders directed operations from inside Tennessee prisons, Boucek added.

The organization also allegedly distributed hundreds of kilograms of the drugs, while laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds through financial transactions and bulk cash smuggling to individuals in Mexico responsible for supplying narcotics throughout the U.S.

What did officials recover? They seized more than 500 kilograms of methamphetamine, 20 kilograms of fentanyl, 60 kilograms of cocaine, more than $375,000 in cash, multiple firearms, and five vehicles

Who ran the operation? The organization allegedly operated under the direction of individuals in Mexico and elsewhere, known as “The Office,” on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel. Humberto Morales, 34, and Jose Martin Perez, 30, both incarcerated in Tennessee Department of Correction facilities on unrelated convictions, allegedly served as high-ranking members who assisted with coordinating and controlling the drug operations in the Middle District of Tennessee and elsewhere.

How did the organization operate? The organization used Signal, an encrypted messaging app, to facilitate drug transactions and avoid law enforcement, according to U.S. officials. Customers placed orders through the Office or its representatives like Morales or Perez, who negotiated prices and arranged delivery locations. The Office then facilitated delivery by coordinating with couriers and individuals overseeing drug stash houses, U.S. officials said.