The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that 19 people have been charged with federal charges in connection with an international organized crime syndicate that exported and imported a variety of drugs, including fentanyl, across the southern border into the United States and Canada using “handlers” who coordinated drug shipments. The government announced that he had been indicted. .
Earlier this month, two federal grand juries in Los Angeles ruled against a drug trafficking organization that included Italian organized crime figures, Mexico-based drug suppliers, U.S. distributors, and Canadian truck drivers operating in drug trafficking organizations. The indictment was returned against 19 suspects for their roles in the incident. United States, the FBI said.
“This organized group operated as a conspiracy throughout North America with impunity,” Don Alway, deputy director of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said at a news conference Tuesday. “Today is an example of society rebelling against and dealing with groups like this who bring drugs into their communities with no regard for the health and safety of individuals.”
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Photographic evidence showing drugs seized during Operation Dead Hand, an investigation into smugglers allegedly bringing drugs into the United States and Canada. (FBI)
The investigation, known as “Operation Dead Hand,” revealed that an anonymous organized crime group used Canadian “handlers” and “dispatchers” traveling to the United States for short periods to pick up and deliver large shipments of cargo. He claims to have adjusted it. The cocaine and methamphetamine were loaded onto a semi-truck bound for Canada.
Authorities say drivers working with dozens of trucking companies coordinated drug shipments that crossed the border multiple times from the U.S. to Canada. The crossing took place through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel in Michigan, the Buffalo Peace Bridge in Buffalo, New York, and the Blue Water Bridge, also in Michigan.
Authorities in California, Texas, and the Canadian cities of Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary executed search warrants on Tuesday, resulting in 10 arrests. The indictment alleges that the drug trafficking operation included 1,860 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,092 pounds of cocaine, 44 pounds of fentanyl, and nearly 9 pounds of heroin.
During the investigation, authorities seized between $16 million and $28 million in drugs and more than $900,000 in cash.
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John Soto (left), Eduardo Carvajal, Esteban Sinue Mercado, Corel Garcia, and Angel Larry Sandoval are five of several defendants indicted in the international oil drum smuggling scheme. (FBI)
“We are currently facing an overdose crisis that is killing countless people every day,” said Canadian Mountain Police Superintendent Mathieu Bertrand.
On January 3, a grand jury indicted nine people for their roles in a drug organization. Ivan Gravel Gonzalez, 32, lives in both the Dominican Republic and Montreal. Daniel Antonio Trejo Huerta, 43, of Riverside, California. Ignacio Lopez, 53, resident of Santa Ana, California. Daniel Joseph Alan Herrera, 27, of Miami. Orlando Velasco Jr., 29, of Staunton, California. Angel Larry Sandoval, 32, of Bell Gardens, California. Jorge Pina Nichols, 22, of Long Beach, California. and Brian Ureta Valenzuela, 24, of Ontario, California.
Sidhu is accused of orchestrating drug trafficking and export to Canada.
A gun was seized during the investigation “Operation Dead Hand.” (FBI)
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On January 4, a grand jury indicted 10 more people on multiple charges, including two counts of drug trafficking conspiracy. Conspiracy to import cocaine. Drug export conspiracy. distribution/possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; and being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition in furtherance of drug trafficking.
They were identified as Jesus Luis Sandoval Jr., 45, of Guadalajara, Mexico. John Joe Soto, 42 years old, lives in Guadalajara, Mexico. Eduardo Carvajal, 50 years old, lives in Guadalajara, Mexico. Roberto Scoppa (55), a prominent figure in the Italian and Canadian organized crime world, lives in Montreal, Canada. Ayush Sharma, 25 years old, lives in Brampton, Canada. Subham Kumar, 29 years old, lives in Calgary, Canada. Carlos Barragan, 51, of Long Beach, California. Corel Carbajal Garcia, 38, of Hemet, California. Humberto Luis Bermejo, 26, resident of Odessa, Texas. and Esteban Sinhu Mercado, 24, of San Jacinto, California.
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Sandoval remains a fugitive.He is believed to be a large-scale drug trafficker involved in drug smuggling from Mexico to the United States
Scoppa is an alleged Canadian drug trafficker with close ties to an Italian organized crime syndicate in Montreal.
Each defendant faces life in prison.
