He Justice Department announced this Friday charges in three federal districts against several alleged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, including four sons of Joaquín “el Chapo” Guzmán, for trafficking fentanyl and other drugs.
The United States Attorney General, Merrick Garland, stressed that the actions are directed at “the largest and most prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world”, led by the aforementioned cartel and “fueled by Chinese pharmaceutical companies”.
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The charges in the federal districts of Southern New York, Northern Illinois and the District of Columbia are against about thirty people, including four of El Chapo’s children, and include charges of weapons and money laundering.
According to the statement, there are seven defendants in custody, although it does not clarify who they are. US Administration sources indicated in a call with journalists that these seven were arrested “weeks ago” in Colombia, Greece and Guatemala.
The Justice Department charged 28 members of Mexico’s powerful Sinaloa cartel, including sons of notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. pic.twitter.com/pntWnj55ra
— ABC30 Fresno (@ABC30) April 14, 2023
Clear message to the “Chapitos”
The actions this Friday, according to the manager of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Anne Milgram, send “a clear message to the ‘Chapitos’, the Sinaloa cartel and criminal drug networks around the world of that the DEA will stop at nothing to protect the national security of the United States and Americans.”
The “Chapitos” are four children of Joaquín Guzmán, former leader of that cartel: Iván Guzmán Salazar, 40; Alfredo Guzmán Salazar (37), Joaquín Guzmán López (36) and Ovidio Guzmán López, 33.
The Department of Justice points out that they allegedly used cargo planes, private aircraft, submarines and other submersible and semi-submersible vessels, container ships, supply and fishing vessels, speedboats, buses and rail cars, among others, to transport drugs and chemical precursors.
The State Department, through its Narcotics Rewards Program, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Iván, Alfredo, and Ovidio Guzmán, and up to $5 million for Joaquín.
Sinaloa cartel
The Sinaloa cartel, according to the US, is the “most powerful drug cartel in the world” and is largely responsible for the production and manufacture of fentanyl for distribution in the United States, where this drug, considered 50 times more powerful than heroin is “the leading cause of death among Americans ages 18 to 49.”
The US authorities point out that this organization has been involved in drug trafficking activities to the United States and violence for more than a decade and a half.
The charges against the leaders of the Sinaloa cartel and its network are added to the sanctions also issued this Friday against five people residing in China and Guatemala and against two Chinese companies for supplying chemical precursors to that cartel for the production of fentanyl for ultimately to the US market.
The United States has targeted its leaders as well as its chemical precursor suppliers, laboratory and production managers, arms dealers or those who helped them launder money to finance their operations, thus covering the entire chain.
“The US government is using all the tools at its disposal to combat the fentanyl epidemic,” Garland told reporters.
Overdose deaths
From August 2021 to August 2022, according to the data provided, 107,735 people died from an overdose in the country, and two-thirds of those deaths were due to synthetic opioids, mostly fentanyl.
The announcement comes a day after the governments of Mexico and the United States agreed in a joint meeting in Washington to reinforce efforts to dismantle the Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) cartels, as well as the illegal trafficking of fentanyl and weapons. of fire on both sides of the border.
“Today’s actions demonstrate the United States’ determination to promote accountability for criminals who perpetuate illicit fentanyl activity,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, according to which the country also seeks to support their partners and provide justice to those affected.
