close
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., reacts to the House voting to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the crisis at the U.S. southern border.
Join Fox News for access to this content Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account – free of charge. Please enter a valid email address. By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive. To access the content, check your email and follow the instructions provided. Having trouble? Click here.
Federal prosecutors have charged dozens of men, including 16 people on the run, in an international drug smuggling operation orchestrated by Mexico’s brutal Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
“From the barrios of Jalisco and Michoacán, Mexico the Jalisco New Generation Cartel casts a dark shadow that extends far beyond the borders of a single nation and into the streets and communities of places like Houston and beyond,” U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said Monday in announcing the charges.
US Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Alamdar S. Hamdani (C) speaks during a news conference in Houston, Texas, on April 1, 2024. (MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)
Hamdani described CJNG as “one of the most powerful and dangerous criminals in Mexico, characterized by a business model of extreme violence and trafficking in the most deadly of substances.”
Monday’s 50-count indictment charges 41 people with cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and meth trafficking and related crimes in the Houston and Galveston areas.
MEXICAN CARTELS USE US BORDER TO ARM THEMSELVES WITH ‘MILITARY-GRADE’ WEAPONS: DOCS
The indictment charges that all 41 defendants operated under the control of the CJNG. In the past week, law enforcement has taken 20 of the defendants into custody. Three were already in custody, two have since passed away, and the remaining 16 are at large.
Hamdani said the fugitives are in Mexico, Houston, and as far away as Laos. All defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and face up to life in prison.
The indictment, returned in December, seeks forfeiture of any illegal proceeds of the alleged crimes, estimated at $10 million.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The investigation, dubbed “Operation Rainmaker,” and subsequent arrests is the result of a five-year investigation, prosecutors said.
Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more.
Things like your name, home address, date of birth and even your Social Security number…
Most people never think about Android security updates until a headline like this appears. Suddenly,…
The next time you pull up to the drive-thru at Burger King, you may notice…
You may think you can spot a crypto scam from a mile away. But what…
The first Tesla Cybercab has officially rolled off the floor at Tesla Gigafactory Texas. And…
Smart glasses promise a future where technology blends into everyday life. You can ask a…