Mexican authorities announced the seizure of more than a ton of fentanyl pills in Sinaloa during two raids on Tuesday. The bust is one of the largest in the country’s history, as soldiers and marines confiscated the synthetic opioid in a state long dominated by drug cartels.
The raids began when soldiers spotted two armed men in Sinaloa, who fled into two homes. Authorities uncovered approximately 660 pounds of fentanyl in one house, while a truck outside the second location contained an additional 1,750 pounds of the drug. Officials also seized weapons and arrested two individuals. Public Safety Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch called the operation the “biggest seizure in history of fentanyl” in Sinaloa.
This high-profile drug bust comes after a sharp decline in fentanyl seizures in Mexico earlier this year, raising concerns in both Mexico and the United States. Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, is a leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S., contributing to an estimated 70,000 deaths annually. Mexican cartels produce fentanyl using chemicals sourced from China, smuggling the final product across the border.
The seizure follows sharp rhetoric from President-elect Donald Trump, who recently threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian goods. Trump criticized Mexico’s efforts to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling into the U.S., calling for tougher measures. He has also threatened additional tariffs on Chinese imports for their role in the fentanyl supply chain.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum credited an ongoing investigation for the success of the operation, while noting the longstanding tensions surrounding U.S.-Mexico cooperation on narcotics enforcement. She and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have both sought to diffuse tensions with Trump, warning of the economic fallout of sweeping tariffs.
Separately, the U.S. State Department increased the reward for Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” the leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), from $10 million to $15 million. The CJNG has been a key player in fentanyl trafficking into the United States.
As seizures rise and international pressure mounts, the role of cartels and their global supply chains remains a critical issue in U.S.-Mexico relations.
