Justice Department Details Horrific Crimes Committed by Sinoloa Cartel as Part of Global Crackdown on Fentanyl Trafficking

The Justice Department announced a massive crackdown Friday on a global drug trafficking network run by Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel that allegedly committed horrific crimes against rivals and helped fuel the fentanyl crisis gripping the United States.

At a news conference, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced charges against more than two dozen members of the Sinaloa Cartel's Chapitos network, including seven arrested in Colombia, Greece, Guatemala and the United States. Four of those charged are the sons of notorious drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

The attorney general also detailed shocking acts of violence allegedly committed by the Chapitos network to protect its fentanyl trafficking operations. Rival drug dealers were fed to Chapitos’ tigers dead or alive, a woman was repeatedly injected with fentanyl until she died, one person was shot with a .50-caliber machine gun, and other victims were tortured by electrocution and waterboarding, according to Garland.

“The cases we are announcing today exemplify the comprehensive approach the Department of Justice is taking to disrupt and hold accountable those who bear significant responsibility for this fentanyl epidemic,” Garland said.

MORE: White House unveils initiative to target fentanyl supply chain with international partners

The charges also seek to expose China’s role in fueling the fentanyl crisis. Four fugitive Chinese nationals have been charged for allegedly being part of the network that supplies the Sinaloa cartel with precursor chemicals needed to make fentanyl.

Along with this announcement, the Treasury Department announced sanctions against two Chinese companies in connection with the sale of fentanyl precursor chemicals to the Sinaloa Cartel.

“The PRC government must end the uncontrolled flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China,” Garland said at Friday’s press conference.

As part of the investigation, investigators say they seized more than 2.5 million pills containing fentanyl and 230 pounds of fentanyl powder that is believed to contain nearly 23 million lethal doses of fentanyl.

MORE: Justice Dept. to take abortion pill fight to Supreme Court: Garland

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, described the operation as “the most ambitious fentanyl prosecution in American history.”

National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan sent a statement on behalf of the White House commending the Justice Department, DEA, Treasury and State Department “for their relentless pursuit of justice and accountability and their unwavering commitment to keeping Americans safe.”

“These actions represent another step in our efforts to combat fentanyl trafficking around the world and to work with Mexico and other key partners to combat the devastating threat posed by this activity,” he said. “We remain firmly convinced that the global illicit drug trade poses a threat to our public health and safety, our national security, and our economy. We also remain committed to holding those who support this deadly enterprise accountable.”

In 2021, a record 107,622 Americans died from drug poisoning or overdose, 66% of them related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, the Justice Department said in a news release last year.

The Justice Department details horrific crimes committed by the Sinoloa cartel as part of the global crackdown on fentanyl trafficking.