(NewsNation) — The Justice Department announced the arrests of 23 people following a 50-count indictment on charges including trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and meth.
The suspects were taken into custody in the Houston and Galveston areas and the indictment alleges they were working under the control of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CLING).
“CJNG is known as one of the most powerful and dangerous criminal organizations in Mexico, characterized by a business model that involves extreme violence and trafficking in the most deadly of substances — cocaine, heroin, meth, and fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “This massive indictment demonstrates our tireless efforts to protect our communities against this cartel’s ruthless pursuit of profit which has come at the cost of countless young lives.”
According to prosecutors, from December 2018 to April 2020, the conspirators allegedly smuggled drugs into the U.S. from Mexico and distributed them.
The leader of one group, Roque Zamudio-Mendoza, 52, was the main source of drugs according to court documents while others distributed narcotics in Texas and other states including Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Illinois.
So far, 23 involved in the conspiracy have been arrested while two are deceased, and 15 are still at large. Zamudio-Mendoza is also still at large and currently believed to be in Mexico.
The indictment also calls for the forfeiture of illegal proceedings from the activity, estimated at $10 million. Authorities say they have seized around 550 kilograms of meth, 249 kilograms of cocaine, 32 kilograms of heroin, five kilograms of phenobarbital and 22,6000 fentanyl-laced pills. They also allegedly recovered nine firearms, several luxury Rolex watches and large amounts of money, including $190,000 seized during a traffic stop.
All of those in custody are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and meth which could result in a sentence of life in prison. The defendants also face varying additional charges, including conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, laundering of monetary instruments and possession with intent to distribute meth, heroin, fentanyl and/or cocaine.