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Why Trump is pushing subject assistance for Mexico
Sixteen radical person been arrested and 3 cardinal pills laced with fentanyl were seized successful what federal prosecutors said Tuesday was the "largest fentanyl bust successful DEA history."
The operation, which spanned respective states on successful the West, "marks the astir important triumph successful our nation's combat against fentanyl and cause trafficking to date," Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
Among those arrested was a Sinaloa cartel leader, Heriberto Salazar Amaya, 36, a Mexican national, who was taken into custody successful Salem, Oregon, Bondi said astatine a property conference. In February, the State Department designated the Sinaloa cartel arsenic a overseas violent organization.
Asked whether immoderate of those arrested would beryllium deported to Mexico, Bondi said "I privation them to enactment successful our prisons arsenic agelong arsenic possible."
"Most of these individuals, if convicted, volition stay successful American prisons, possibly Alcatraz," the lawyer wide added successful notation to the shuttered California situation that President Donald Trump said he wants to reopen.
Posters showing arrested individuals are seen earlier U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi held a property league astatine the Treasury Department successful Washington, DC, connected May 6, 2025. Bondi announced the result of a weeklong, multi-agency enforcement cognition targeting 1 of the largest cause trafficking organizations.
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The Justice Department said instrumentality enforcement officials seized much than 400 kilograms (880 pounds) of fentanyl pills, 11.5 kilos of fentanyl powder, 80 kilos of methamphetamine, 7.5 kilos of cocaine and 4.5 kilos of heroin. The bust besides netted $5 cardinal successful currency and 49 rifles and pistols, U.S. officials said, portion releasing respective images of the seized items.
"This lawsuit represents DEA's largest azygous seizure of fentanyl pills," said Robert Murphy, the acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Bondi said 75,000 Americans are dying each twelvemonth due to the fact that of fentanyl and it is the fig 1 origin of decease for radical betwixt the ages of 18 and 34 successful the United States.
"They are flooding our cities with a limb of wide destruction, fentanyl," she said.
Ryan Ellison, U.S. lawyer for the territory of New Mexico, said the "sophisticated fentanyl and narcotics organisation network" spanned New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Utah.
Ellison said the 16 radical arrested look assorted national charges including conspiracy to administer fentanyl and firearms offenses.
Posters of seized drugs are seen earlier U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi held a property league astatine the Treasury Department successful Washington, D.C., connected May 6, 2025.
OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP via Getty Images
The DEA says cause overdoses are the leading cause of decease for Americans betwixt the ages of 18 and 44, though
most states person seen less deaths implicit the past fewer years. Between 2022 and 2023, overdose deaths decreased by 4% nationwide, marking the archetypal specified diminution since the commencement of the coronavirus pandemic successful 2020. Overdose deaths fell 17% between July 2023 and July 2024.
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