Over 40 charged in cartel-linked drug trafficking indictment

The Justice Department arrested 23 people with a 50-count indictment alleging drug trafficking under the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Alamdar S. Hamdani said Monday that 41 people have been charged for trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and meth into the United States from Mexico between 2018 and 2020. Both the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the cartel’s activity, with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and other local law enforcement. Authorities have warrants for 15 more individuals allegedly involved in the gang’s drug trafficking.

How widespread is the operation? Hamdani described CJNG as the most powerful and dangerous criminal organization in Mexico. Investigators allege the defendants distributed drugs in several large U.S. cities, including New Orleans, Atlanta, Nashville, and Chicago. Authorities seized more than 1,000 pounds of meth, over 500 pounds of cocaine, and about 70 pounds of heroin. Over 10 pounds of phenobarbital was also collected, along with 22,600 fentanyl-laced pills. The indictment also calls for the forfeiture of illegal proceeds from the alleged crimes, which the DOJ estimates are around $10 million.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report on the rise of polysubstance abuse in America.