US law enforcement agencies have intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking organizations, leading to a multi-state operation that included the seizure of over $10 million in cryptocurrency.
The action, carried out by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), targeted the Sinaloa cartel’s operations in Miami, Florida.
The operations have also led to more than 2,100 fentanyl-related arrests. Attorney General Pamela Bondi emphasized the scale of the effort in a public statement, noting that such coordinated actions are a critical part of the fight against addiction, overdose, and drug-related violence.
In Lexington County, South Carolina, DEA agents seized 156 pounds of fentanyl and 44 pounds of methamphetamine, along with firearms, resulting in one arrest. Similarly, in Gainesville, Georgia, 705 pounds of methamphetamine were found hidden in a truck transporting cucumbers.
In Austin, Texas, a refrigerated truck loaded with blueberries was discovered to be concealing 783 pounds of methamphetamine. In a separate Texas operation in Galveston, agents recovered over 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine valued at more than $15 million.
Meanwhile, in El Paso, 115 pounds of methamphetamine were intercepted in a vehicle equipped with a GPS tracker, an indication of the cartel’s attempts to maintain precise control over drug shipments.
In California, multiple seizures targeted methamphetamine labs and synthetic opioids. Kern County saw the dismantling of a meth conversion facility, with agents confiscating over 240 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and 151 gallons of its liquid form.
In Fresno, 24 pounds of carfentanil disguised as prescription pills were found, the largest such seizure in Northern California to date.
While traditional drug trafficking methods persist, the introduction of blockchain analysis tools has made it possible for authorities to trace and seize crypto linked to illicit activity.
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