The Justice Department has charged several leaders of the Mexico-based Sinaloa cartel for their alleged roles in the global supply chain of illicit fentanyl.
Charges filed Friday in New York, Illinois and D.C. target Mexican criminal traffickers who manufacture fentanyl, often with the use of Chinese precursor chemicals, and then distribute them in the U.S. with deadly results. The Justice Department said seven of the defendants are in custody and awaiting extradition.
“Today’s indictments target every element of the Sinaloa Cartel’s trafficking network and reflect the Justice Department’s commitment to attacking every aspect of this threat: from the chemical companies in China that spawn fentanyl precursors, to the illicit labs that produce the poison, to the networks and money launderers and murderers that facilitate its distribution,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland.
Mr. Garland announced the charges as President Biden faces intense pressure to lean on Mexico and crack down on the flow of deadly synthetic opioids.
Roughly 70,000 of the 107,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. were linked at least in part to fentanyl in 2021, the most recent year for which complete data is available. The U.S. government says nearly all of the fentanyl supply flows out of Mexico, often in the form of counterfeit pills.
Friday’s charges were the result of an intensive operation in which Drug Enforcement Administration agents infiltrated the Sinaloa cartel and the “Chapitos” drug network to gain access to the highest levels of leadership.
Officials said charges were filed against over two dozen defendants.
“This is one of the most significant groupings of fentanyl-focused criminal charges ever brought,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.
