Sinaloa Cartel leader faces life in prison for massive fentanyl trafficking operation

An alleged apical person of the Sinaloa Cartel accused of funneling monolithic quantities of fentanyl into the U.S. appeared successful national tribunal Monday, facing charges that could enactment him down bars for life.

According to the Department of Justice, 53-year-old Fidel Felix-Ochoa was a elder fig successful the cartel who oversaw its cause trafficking and wealth laundering operations.

Prosecutors allege helium coordinated the smuggling of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine into the U.S., utilizing couriers who transported the narcotics by conveyance and done the mail.

Last year, the Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel was designated by the U.S. arsenic a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

An alleged Sinaloa Cartel person accused of funneling monolithic amounts of fentanyl into the U.S. appeared successful national tribunal and faces a imaginable beingness sentence. (Department of Justice)

"The charges people an alleged elder person of the Sinaloa Cartel who is accused of directing the travel of monolithic quantities of fentanyl and different deadly narcotics into the United States," U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said. "While these are allegations that indispensable beryllium proven successful court, this lawsuit reflects our Office’s unwavering committedness to dismantling transnational transgression organizations and protecting American communities from the devastating consequences of cause trafficking. No cartel person is beyond the scope of the regularisation of law."

Prosecutors allege Felix-Ochoa directed co-conspirators to store the narcotics astatine stash houses earlier distributing them to dealers and customers crossed the country, including Florida, Arizona, California, Texas and Massachusetts.

The probe led to the seizure of astir 73,000 fentanyl pills, 21 kilograms of axenic fentanyl, 243 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 2 kilograms of cocaine and 24 firearms.

DOJ ANNOUNCES CONVICTION IN MINNESOTA METH RING LINKED TO SINALOA CARTEL

An alleged Sinaloa Cartel person accused of funneling monolithic amounts of fentanyl into the U.S. appeared successful national tribunal and faces a imaginable beingness sentence. (Department of Justice)

Felix-Ochoa is charged with conspiracy to administer a controlled substance and, if convicted, faces a maximum condemnation of beingness successful prison.

The lawsuit unfolds amid an escalating crackdown connected the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl network.

Joaquín Guzmán López, 39, 1 of the alleged Chapitos who took power of a large cartel faction aft his begetter Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán’s 2019 condemnation and beingness sentence, pleaded blameworthy successful December successful Chicago to cause trafficking and continuing transgression endeavor charges. Prosecutors said helium oversaw the question of monolithic cause shipments into the U.S., often done underground tunnels.

ALLEGED SINALOA CARTEL FENTANYL PRODUCER CHARGED IN NEWLY UNSEALED US FEDERAL INDICTMENT

Drug trafficker Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman successful Mexico successful 2014. (Susana Gonzalez/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Guzmán López was arrested successful July 2024 alongside longtime cartel fig Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada aft landing connected a backstage pitchy successful Texas.

The plea followed a akin statement reached months earlier by his brother, Ovidio Guzmán López, connected trafficking and wealth laundering charges.

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Prosecutors accidental the Sinaloa Cartel remains 1 of the superior drivers of fentanyl flowing into the U.S., fueling grounds overdose deaths nationwide. The synthetic opioid is acold much potent than heroin and has devastated communities crossed the country.

El Chapo remains successful a maximum-security U.S. situation serving beingness without parole for moving a multibillion-dollar trafficking empire. Prosecutors accidental his sons expanded fentanyl accumulation and organisation aft stepping into enactment roles.

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