29 people indicted for drug trafficking from Mexico to St. Louis

ST. LOUIS – A new federal case details an alleged pipeline of illegal drugs (fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine) from Mexico to St. Louis.

The case also provides insight into the impact the southern border crisis could have here.

There are 29 defendants spread across several states and Mexico.

A hearing was held Thursday in U.S. District Court to begin determining how best to proceed toward trial. They will all be tried together, prosecutors said.

Genaro “Chilango” Rosas-Vargas, 39, is the alleged leader of an operation that used smugglers to move drugs to St. Louis while funneling money and weapons to Mexico, with Rosas-Vargas suspected to negotiate deals with cartels across this country. He was arrested earlier this year while crossing the US border.

The other 28 defendants allegedly operated the day-to-day drug trade in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Charles County from February to December 2023.

Undercover investigators came to know these defendants by nicknames such as “Cheeseburger” and “Chester.”

“(Investigators) started with individual transactions at the street level and found out where it was coming from,” said Asst. » said U.S. Attorney Dane Rennier. “An investigation begins at an initial point and then continues from there. Where we first discovered it was obviously in the St. Louis area. The investigation moved outwards and upwards from there…they just kept working on this case to identify all the targets involved and gather the evidence.

Investigators reportedly seized 125 kilos of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, estimated to be worth more than $1 million, plus more than $132,000 in cash, along with two vehicles, eight handguns and rifles assault.

“This was a fantastic investigation by the DEA as well as several other cooperating agencies. They've done a great job over the last year, year and a half. I think it made St. Louis and many places safer,” Rennier said. “I think it's a significant amount of drugs, just in the seizures involved in this case. So I think that will have an impact.

A written court motion to hold Rosas-Vargas without bail says there is evidence he smuggled people into the United States, charging fees of $5,000 to $11,000; people could pay off their debts by dealing drugs.

Twenty-eight of the 29 accused are now incarcerated. The next hearing is set for August. A trial date has not yet been set.