DEA seizes $16 million in drugs tied to Sinaloa Cartel in California

U.S. anti-narcotics authorities managed to dismantle a drug trafficking network of the Sinaloa Cartel in California. The operation dubbed “Hotline Bling” culminated in the capture of 15 alleged drug traffickers and the seizure of narcotics valued at $16 million on the streets.

The seizure was coordinated by the Los Angeles Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Agency, which raised the alarm at the beginning of 2023 when it detected a sophisticated criminal network with direct connections to the Mexican cartel.

DEA LA Field Div Special Agent in Charge Matthew Allen: The steadfast collaboration, determination and long hours poured into this operation speak to the vehemence of our investigators and partners. We are committed to keeping dangerous drugs off our streets. @dea #hotlinebling pic.twitter.com/dcs7PpyEmc

— DEALosAngeles (@DEALOSANGELES) April 25, 2024

Federal agencies managed to track a drug shipment that included 170 kilos of methamphetamines, almost 17 kilos of the lethal drug fentanyl, 600,000 fentanyl pills and 1.4 kilos of cocaine.

In an unexpected twist, the DEA investigation revealed the involvement of a corrupt Riverside County prison guard, who was discovered in possession of more than 100 pounds of deadly fentanyl pills. It is presumed that the California correction officer facilitated the distribution of drugs from the prisons to the streets.

"This operation prevented more than 10 million lethal doses of fentanyl from flooding the black market in the Inland Empire area and the rest of the country," said a DEA spokesperson, highlighting the importance of the International operation. In total, seven firearms related to the dangerous drug organization were seized.