MIAMI – The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Caribbean Division reaffirmed its strong partnership with the Dominican Republic during a high-level strategic meeting held at DEA’s Miami Field Division headquarters, underscoring the continued commitment between U.S. and Dominican authorities to combat transnational criminal organizations operating throughout the Caribbean region. The meeting brought...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Caribbean Division, in coordination with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, led by United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, alongside federal, state, and local partners assigned to the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), announced significant...

PONCE, Puerto Rico — The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Caribbean Division, in coordination with Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) partners, announced the seizure of approximately 1,418 pounds (643.3 kilograms) of cocaine and the arrest of three Venezuelan nationals following a maritime interdiction operation conducted southeast of Puerto Rico. This interdiction...

INDIANAPOLIS - Arieon Lofton, 27, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 16 years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to court documents, on July 26, 2025, the victim...

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Texas man appeared in federal court on April 30, 2026, after being charged by criminal complaint on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, for possessing a substance containing methamphetamine with intent to distribute it, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(A). William Mayes, Jr., 35, was...

MILWAUKEE -- John McGarry, assistant special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Milwaukee District Office, and Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 24, 2026, Jose Cardenas-Salcido, 43, was sentenced to 22 years of imprisonment, followed by...

San Juan, Puerto Rico — On April 17, 2026, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Caribbean Division, in close coordination with its international and interagency partners, supported a significant narcotics interdiction operation conducted by the Dirección Nacional de Control de Drogas (DNCD) that resulted in the seizure of 1,707 kilograms (1.7...

CHICAGO — Federal law enforcement this month arrested an alleged drug trafficker and seized 22 firearms and multiple kilograms of narcotics from his Chicago storage unit. Mario Neustadter sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer in Chicago on three occasions in January of February of this year...

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – On April 23, 2026, Devin Melvin, 33, of Detroit, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, announced Northern District of Indiana U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred. Melvin was sentenced...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Caribbean Division announced the successful extradition of Nixon Manuel Marino-Carreño from Colombia to Puerto Rico, where he will face federal drug trafficking charges in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Marino-Carreño was arrested in Colombia...