Numerous individuals have been indicted in a vast drug trafficking scheme associated with a notorious Mexican cartel. Among those charged, 16 are currently fugitives, with one suspected to be in Laos.
Federal authorities have indicted a group of men for their roles in a global drug trafficking ring led by the violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) from Mexico.
“The influence of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, originating from the neighborhoods of Jalisco and Michoacán, reaches well beyond Mexico’s borders, affecting communities as far as Houston,” stated U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani during the announcement of the indictments.
U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani of the Southern District of Texas characterized the CJNG as one of Mexico’s most formidable and perilous criminal organizations, notorious for its ruthless violence and the distribution of lethal narcotics.
The recent indictment lists 50 counts against 41 individuals for trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, along with other related offenses, primarily in the Houston and Galveston regions.
The indictment alleges that the 41 accused were all operating at the behest of the CJNG. Over the last week, 20 of these individuals have been apprehended by law enforcement. Three were already detained, two have deceased, and 16 remain at large, some located in Mexico, Houston, and even as distant as Laos. The charges against them include conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute, which carries a potential life sentence.
The indictment, issued in December, also demands the forfeiture of any illicit gains from the alleged criminal activities, which are believed to amount to $10 million.
The operation, known as “Operation Rainmaker,” led to these arrests and is the culmination of a five-year-long investigation by the prosecutors.
Source: Fox News
