3 million pills seized in ‘largest fentanyl bust in DEA history’, cartel leader among 16 arrested

In what federal authorities are calling the “largest fentanyl bust in DEA history,” law enforcement officials have arrested 16 individuals and seized over three million fentanyl-laced pills, dismantling a major drug trafficking network linked to Mexico’s violent Sinaloa cartel, reported news agency AFP.The months-long operation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and coordinated across New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah, also recovered 11.5 kilos of fentanyl powder, 80 kilos of methamphetamine, 7.5 kilos of cocaine, 4.5 kilos of heroin, $5 million in cash, and 49 firearms, including rifles and pistols. DEA officials confirmed the record-breaking 2.7 million pills were seized in a single bust in Albuquerque, New Mexico, marking the largest pill seizure in the agency’s history.As per the DEA statement, the network had turned Albuquerque into a key distribution hub, operating out of a nondescript building where agents worked around the clock to track and dismantle the cartel’s regional base. “This historic drug seizure... removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.Among those arrested was Heriberto Salazar-Amaya, 36, a Mexican national and key Sinaloa cartel operative. He was apprehended in Salem, Oregon, and faces charges including illegal reentry, employing unauthorised aliens, and harbouring them, reported CBS News.Authorities also seized a fleet of luxury vehicles and flashy jewellery, exposing the lavish lifestyle financed by deadly narcotics.“They are flooding our cities with a weapon of mass destruction, fentanyl,” Bondi said, adding that 75,000 Americans die annually from fentanyl-related overdoses, the leading cause of death for individuals aged 18 to 34. DEA Principal Deputy Administrator Robert Murphy echoed the urgency, stating, “Behind the three million fentanyl pills seized are destructive criminal acts thwarted, and American lives saved.”Bondi stressed that none of the suspects should be deported soon, saying, “I want them to stay in our prisons as long as possible... perhaps Alcatraz,” referencing US President Trump’s call to reopen the closed facility.US Attorney Ryan Ellison of New Mexico called the dismantled operation “a sophisticated fentanyl and narcotics distribution network,” stating it was “one of the largest and most dangerous trafficking organisations in US history.” As per AFP, all 16 suspects face federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and firearms offences.The DEA credited the success to a sweeping collaboration between federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement, including the IRS – Criminal Investigations, US Marshals, and DEA field offices in Phoenix, Seattle, and Rocky Mountain regions.Authorities believe this bust prevented the distribution of enough fentanyl to kill over 1.5 million people, underscoring the life-saving impact of the operation.