Sixteen people have been arrested, and 3 million fentanyl-laced pills have been seized in what federal prosecutors called the “largest fentanyl bust in DEA history.”
The operation, which included several Western states, “marks the most significant victory in our nation’s fight against fentanyl and drug trafficking to date,” according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Heriberto Salazar Amaya, 36, a Mexican national and Sinaloa cartel leader, was arrested in Salem, Oregon, according to Bondi at a press conference. In February, the State Department designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a foreign terrorist organization.
When asked if any of those arrested would be deported to Mexico, Bondi responded, “I want them to stay in our prisons as long as possible.”
“Most of these individuals, if convicted, will remain in American prisons, perhaps Alcatraz,” the attorney general added, referring to the shuttered California prison that President Trump has stated he wants to reopen.
The Justice Department reported that law enforcement officials seized more than 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of fentanyl pills, 11.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 80 kilograms of methamphetamine, 7.5 kilograms of cocaine, and 4.5 kilograms of heroin. U.S. officials said the bust also netted $5 million in cash and 49 rifles and pistols, and they released several images of the seized items.
“This case represents the DEA’s largest single seizure of fentanyl pills,” said Robert Murphy, acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Bondi stated that 75,000 Americans die each year as a result of fentanyl, which is the leading cause of death for people aged 18 to 34 in the United States.
“They are flooding our cities with a weapon of mass destruction, fentanyl,” she informed us.
According to Ryan Ellison, US Attorney for the District of New Mexico, the “sophisticated fentanyl and narcotics distribution network” included New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah.
Ellison stated that the 16 people arrested face a variety of federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and firearms offenses.
The DEA reports that drug overdoses are the leading cause of death among Americans aged 18 to 44, though most states have seen fewer deaths in recent years. Between 2022 and 2023, overdose deaths fell by 4% across the country, the first decrease since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2020. Overdose deaths fell by 17% between July 2023 and July 2024.