Massive Drug Bust Strikes Major Blow to Cartel Operations
In a significant operation, the U.S. Coast Guard seized over $509 million worth of cocaine and marijuana linked to major cartels.
Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel announced the seizure of nearly 45,000 pounds of cocaine and 3,800 pounds of marijuana during a press conference on Wednesday. The drugs, valued at over $509 million, were intercepted by the Coast Guard in an 11-day operation involving the crew of the United States Coast Guard Cutter James. Bondi highlighted the involvement of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación and the Sinaloa Cartel, stating that the seizure represents a major disruption to their financial and distribution networks. ‘This is a prosecutor-led, intelligent, driven approach to stopping these criminal enterprises,’ Bondi emphasized. The operation has led to eleven ongoing prosecutions, which remain sealed. Both cartels have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Department of State. FBI Director Patel added that the operation aims to dismantle the ’next-man-up’ theory prevalent in these cartels, sending a clear message that their freedom to operate is over. The seizure is expected to save thousands of lives by preventing the distribution of these drugs across the country and possibly the world.