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President Donald Trump celebrated the largest fentanyl bust in the nation’s history involving over 400 kilograms of the lethal drug seized in a single operation.
The president posted the press release from the Justice Department to his Truth Social account on Wednesday.
“This historic drug seizure, led by the DEA, is a significant blow against the Sinaloa Cartel that removes poison from our streets and protects American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
“This Department of Justice will continue working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle every cartel network operating illegally in the United States,” she added.
Federal authorities have arrested 16 individuals and seized unprecedented quantities of fentanyl, cash, firearms and vehicles in a sweeping multi-state operation that dismantled one of the most dangerous drug trafficking networks in U.S. history. As part of this coordinated effort, law enforcement executed search warrants across five states, leading to massive seizures of illicit drugs and criminal assets, the department’s press release stated.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, agents confiscated approximately $610,000 in cash, 49 firearms, 396 kilograms of fentanyl pills, 11.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, 3.5 kilograms of heroin, seven pounds of methamphetamine and two high-end vehicles. In Salem, Oregon, authorities seized over $2.8 million in cash, $50,000 worth of jewelry, and two luxury vehicles worth roughly $150,000.
In Layton, Utah, agents recovered $780,000 in cash and a Dodge TRX Mammoth valued at approximately $150,000. Meanwhile, in Phoenix, Arizona, law enforcement seized approximately $390,000 in cash, 72 pounds of methamphetamine, 13 kilograms of fentanyl pills, 2.4 pounds of heroin, and five kilograms of cocaine.
In Las Vegas, Nevada, officers apprehended and removed an illegal alien, seized more than $93,000 in cash, 2.7 kilograms of cocaine and one pound of methamphetamine.
This massive enforcement effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative led by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime. The operation combines the resources and strategies of the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods to deliver a unified and forceful response to organized criminal threats.
