SEATTLE - In a joint operation led by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (CDETF) and the Department of Justice, 48 alleged members of a Sinaloa Cartel-linked drug trafficking organization were accused of distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin and bulk cash smuggling.
According to court records, those accused of drug trafficking synthetic drugs into the U.S. belonged to a drug trafficking organization based in the Imperial Valley and Mexicali, Mexico, with ties to "Los Rusos," the main armed wing of the Sinaloa Cartel faction that remain loyal to Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.
During a coordinated operation that took place on November 6, the DOJ said more than 140 federal, state and local law enforcement officers arrested 25 suspects and executed 15 search warrants across multiple locations across Imperial County, in California, Yuma, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Twenty three of the alleged members connected to the case remain at large, authorities said.
The investigation also led to the seizure of more than 8,000 pounds of methamphetamine, as well as large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and one firearm.
Who are "Los Rusos"?
The group known as "Los Rusos" is a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel who remain loyal to Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. They are a similar clique to "Los Ninis," who serve as a violent group of security personnel for "Los Chapitos."
According to authorities, "Los Rusos" are led by Jesús Alexander Sánchez Félix, also known as "El Ruso," and they control drug smuggling routes in Baja California and other parts near the U.S. border.
Since Ovidio Guzmán's first arrest in 2019, "Los Rusos" and "Los Chapitos" have been at war with each other, as authorities believe Zambada's security personnel received orders to not engage in the wave of violent retaliation by Sinaloa Cartel members in response to Ovidio Guzmán's arrest.
At least since 2020, "Los Rusos" were relocated to San Luís Río Colorado, in Sonora, to defend smuggling territories from "Los Chapitos."
Safeguarding U.S. communities
In a statement made after the operation, U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath said that, with the indictment of dozens of individuals and the seizure of thousands of pounds of drugs, U.S. authorities were not just disrupting the criminal group's trafficking network, but also "taking significant steps to protect our community from the devastation these drugs cause."
El Centro Sector Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino echoed McGraths words, saying that the Sinaloa Cartel "and any other criminal organization will fare poorly in the Imperial Valley.
According to court records, the investigation which utilized undercover operations and four wiretaps, also led to several other large narcotic seizures. One of the most significant busts took place on April of 2022, when agents intercepted phone calls about a major drug sale, leading to the discovery of 256 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in the cab of a tractor-trailer.
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