The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has arrested 171 individuals in New England with ties to the violent Sinaloa Cartel during a recent nationwide crackdown, seizing over 500 pounds of drugs and more than $1.3 million in cartel-connected cash. Officials say the operation dealt a significant blow to one of the most dangerous criminal networks operating on U.S. soil.
The arrests, carried out over a week-long enforcement surge, netted 22,115 counterfeit pills, large quantities of fentanyl powder, and drug packaging marked with the Sinaloa Cartel logo. DEA officials believe the majority of those apprehended were directly involved in cartel distribution networks. Special Agent in Charge of the New England Field Division declared the cartel to be “public enemy number one in New England.”
The crackdown follows the Trump administration’s designation of the Sinaloa Cartel as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year. Under this designation, individuals assisting the cartel may face charges not only for drug trafficking but also for providing material support to terrorism.
DEA agents emphasized the scale and scope of cartel operations. “They’re in every state throughout New England,” said the regional special agent. “The Sinaloa Cartel is a threat to public safety, our public health, and our national security.”
In Franklin, New Hampshire, 27 suspects were arrested in coordinated raids that turned up fentanyl traced to the cartel. Officials also confiscated counterfeit pills made to resemble prescription medications like M30 oxycodone—a tactic used by cartels to mask lethal fentanyl doses.
The DEA seized more than 244 drug packages, totaling over 500 pounds, along with large stacks of cash and branded packaging material that clearly identified the cartel’s influence. While the agency admitted the battle against the Sinaloa Cartel is ongoing, it reiterated that it is targeting trafficking networks, not low-level street dealers.
Officials warned that the presence of the cartel in American communities is often hidden in plain sight. Despite the sweeping arrests, agents stress that the fight against transnational cartels will continue, especially as fentanyl deaths rise and cartel influence spreads.
