US federal authorities arrest hundreds of Sinaloa Cartel members, seize drugs in nationwide operation

ISTANBUL

The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said that its agents arrested hundreds of Sinaloa Cartel members and seized large caches of guns and drugs during a weeklong operation against a powerful Mexican cartel.

The federal officials arrested 617 individuals linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and also seized 480 kilograms of fentanyl powder and 420 firearms, among other things, in a nationwide crackdown carried out on Aug. 25-29, a DEA statement said on Monday.

“These results demonstrate the full weight of DEA’s commitment to protecting the American people.

“Every kilogram of poison seized, every dollar stripped from the cartels, and every arrest we make represents lives saved and communities defended. DEA will not relent until the Sinaloa Cartel is dismantled from top to bottom," DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said.

While the drug-related deaths surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that overdose deaths have fallen to levels closer to those seen before the pandemic. However, overdoses are still the leading cause of death among people ages 18 to 44.