DEA New Orleans Division Delivers Major Blow to Sinaloa Cartel, Securing Dozens of Arrests and Seizures
NEW ORLEANS, La. – After a week-long, targeted operation across the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) New Orleans Division’s four-state jurisdiction of Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi, the DEA – working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners – arrested 38 individuals with ties to Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. All of those arrested are facing a wide range of criminal charges related to drug trafficking.
“The Sinaloa Cartel’s poison spreads far and wide, and this operation proves their criminal tentacles have reached deep into communities across our four-state region,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer, head of DEA’s New Orleans Division. “This is a direct message to cartels and their affiliates: we are on your trail. The DEA and our partners will not stop our relentless pursuit until these criminal networks are completely dismantled, and their poison is off our streets.”
In addition to the arrests, DEA New Orleans Division agents and their law enforcement partners seized:
36 kilos of cocaine,
6 pounds of methamphetamine,
100,000 deadly doses of fentanyl,
19 firearms,
and more than a quarter of a million dollars in cash and assets ($265,000+).
The DEA’s work to dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel is not confined to one region—it is a global effort to eliminate the most dangerous criminal threat to the American people. The Sinaloa Cartel is a transnational criminal organization that controls clandestine drug production sites and transportation routes across the globe. It is also involved in a host of other crimes, from weapons trafficking and money laundering to human smuggling and violence.
The arrests and seizures made this week are a direct result of the DEA’s unwavering resolve to attack these networks at every level. Much like the recent guilty plea of co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, these local wins are a testament to the DEA’s commitment to justice. The DEA will not rest until all criminal networks are brought to justice and held accountable for the harm they inflict on our communities and families.
The public is encouraged to submit tips to the DEA online at dea.gov/submit-tip or by calling 1-877-792-2873. More information about the types of crime the DEA investigates can be found at dea.gov/what-we-do.
Resources:
