Last Friday, the U.S. Justice Department announced that it has filed open charges in three counties against leaders of the Sinaloa cartel over an investigation into the fentanyl trade in that country.

The announcement was made by Attorney General Merrick Garland, saying they would take action against the “largest, most violent and prolific fentanyl trafficking operation in the world, led by the Sinaloa Cartel and promoted by Chinese chemical and pharmaceutical frontrunners.” ”.

“Ground zero” of the powerful drug that causes thousands of deaths in Mexico and the United States

The authorities accused the Mexican cartel of being one of the main instigators of this crisis. It was specified that the role of Chinese chemical companies is to generate fentanyl precursors and that they will also target illegal laboratories, money launderers and those who facilitate its distribution.

“The Chapitos pioneered the production and trade of fentanyl, the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, which has poured into the United States over the past eight years, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans,” said DEA Administrator Anne. Milgram.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is more potent than heroin and has become the leading cause of death between the ages of 18 and 49. An estimated 196 Americans die from it every day.

The trade in potent fentanyl, another legacy of “Chapo” Guzmán? It is said that he sent emissaries to China on business

A statement from the Ministry of Justice said that after the arrest of Joaquín Guzmán Loeara, aka El Chapo, his sons took control of the cartel, along with Ismael Zambada García, aka El Mayo, and Dámaso López Núñez, aka Licenciado. Known as Los Chapitos, they consist of Iván Guzmán Salazar, 40, Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, 37, Joaquín Guzmán López, 36, and Ovidio Guzmán López, 33.

However, Los Chapitos would not have kept calm and threatened López Núñez and his associates, accumulating more power within the cartel.

“The Chapitos reportedly used cargo planes, private jets, submarines and other sub and semi-submarine vessels, container ships, supply ships, speedboats, fishing vessels, buses, railroad cars, tractor trailers, automobiles, and private interstate and commercial vessels and commercial foreign carriers to transport their drugs and chemical precursors transport,” the entity said.

Charges were filed in the Southern District of New York against 28 defendants, including three from Los Chapitos, as well as lieutenants and leaders of the cartel, as well as manufacturers and distributors of the drug and against the heads of the armed security group, similarly against money launderers and chemical precursor suppliers in China.

The investigation indicates that Iván Guzmán Salazar, Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, Ovidio Guzmán López and their accomplices allegedly controlled international trade operations that allowed them to rake in hundreds of millions of dollars.

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Of the group of defendants, seven are in custody for which their extradition is expected. Guzmán López has a separate charge for the same crimes.

In the Northern District of Illinois, Iván Guzmán Salazar, Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, Joaquín Guzmán López and Ovidio Guzmán López were charged with narcotics, money laundering and firearms charges.

There it was indicated that between May 2008 and April 5, 2023, the group operated an ongoing criminal enterprise in drug trafficking.

On the other hand, in the District of Columbia there are allegations of drug trafficking, firearms and witness reprisals against Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, aka Nini, 31, who is said to be one of the group’s main assassins.

It was also recalled that the United States is offering $10 million for information enabling the arrest of Iván Guzmán Salazar, Alfredo Guzmán Salazar and Ovidio Guzmán López.