DEA targets Sinaloa cartel members in New England drug operation
The Drug Enforcement Administration
By Sharman Sacchetti
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LAWRENCE, Massachusetts (WCVB) — Federal law enforcement officials are touting the arrests of 171 alleged members of the Sinaloa cartel in a major crackdown on drug trafficking across New England.
“These are high-level arrests, not low-level retail distribution. They are members of the Sinaloa cartel,” said Jarod Forget, special agent in charge of the New England Division.
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, agents seized about 500 pounds of drugs during the weeklong New England crackdown. The haul included fentanyl sticks, methamphetamine and fake pills. Tens of thousands of the counterfeit pills contained enough fentanyl to be deadly.
Forget demonstrated how the cartel boldly branded some of the drugs with its name, saying, “They don’t care. They just want to make money. They’ll advertise it as Sinaloa.”
The cartel is also allegedly marketing the potentially deadly fake pills through social media.
“They’re directly targeting young people, trying to trick them into consuming a fake pill. They’ll take payment on apps online, everything can be done on your phone, then they communicate on encrypted apps,” said Forget.
He said the cartel’s pills look “exactly the same” as legitimate pharmaceutical-grade medication and urged everyone to only take pills prescribed by a doctor.
The DEA identified Lawrence, Massachusetts, as the epicenter of the cartel’s operations in New England. More than two dozen people tied to the cartel were also arrested in Franklin, New Hampshire.
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