A joint federal law enforcement operation carried out in Lubbock, Texas has arrested 22 suspected members of the Drug Trafficking Ring, working in West Texas. According to FBI director Kash Patel, one member of the ring is suspected of being connected to a Mexican drug cartel.
In a social media post for X, director Patel praised the efforts of federal agents assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Dallas office, who participated in drug enforcement and takedowns. Commenting on the attack, Patel said, “Tonight we can report yet another successful operation from our brave field agents and community partners on our ongoing mission to defeat the drug cartel.”
“Today, our team executed a takedown and arrested 22 members of the Lubbock, Texas Drug Trafficking Ring.,” Patel said.
Operation Lubbock to dismantle drug crowding rings is the latest action taken against Mexican drug cartels, some are now designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration.
Late February, US Department of State announcement Several Mexican drug cartels and Venezuelan Tren de Lagua and the MS-13 gang have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). Mexican drug cartels named in the announcement include Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacation (CJNG), Cartel del Noreste (CDN), Ranueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM), Cartel del Golfo (CDG) and Cartel Unidos (CU).
In March, the Justice Department announced Take Back America, an effort involving multiple federal law enforcement to strengthen border security, combat cartels and cross-border criminal organizations in the aftermath of the designation of foreign terrorist organizations.
Additional information has been requested from the US Department of Justice. No responses were received at the time of reporting.
Randy Clark He is a 32-year veteran of the US Border Patrol. Before retiring, he served as Chief of Law Enforcement Business and oversaw the operations of nine Border Patrol Bureaus in Del Rio, Texas. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @randyclarkbbtx.
