Dozens of people, including several immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, have been arrested in South Carolina in connection with a drug trafficking and money laundering operation, the Justice Department announced Tuesday.
A Homeland Security Task Force investigation led to 36 arrests. Nine of those arrested were in the country illegally, according to the department. Authorities seized 346 kilograms of fentanyl, 23 kilograms of methamphetamine, 70 kilograms of cocaine, 34 pounds of marijuana and 43 firearms.
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the administration remains committed to protecting Americans from dangerous drugs. He credited the task force’s work with making South Carolina safer and said the Justice Department would keep targeting trafficking networks and seeking justice for victims and their families.
Investigators also seized $2.8 million in cash and jewelry, 15 luxury vehicles—including two Rolls-Royces, a Lamborghini and an Aston Martin—and 17 properties valued at $4 million, the department said.
The operation had been running since at least 2021, and the drugs originated in Mexico. According to the Justice Department, traffickers brought the narcotics across the U.S.-Mexico border and into South Carolina.
The department said the Mexico-based organization had operated in South Carolina since at least 2011. Its members were active in Mexico, South Carolina and other states, and had also established a presence in the federal and state prison systems.
The Homeland Security Task Force was created under Executive Order 14159, titled “Protecting the American People Against Invasion.” It brings together government agencies to target cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking networks in the U.S. and abroad.
Michael J. Connolly, acting special agent in charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division, said the indictment showed that law enforcement would continue pursuing people accused of distributing dangerous drugs and driving criminal activity. He said the investigation involved coordinated work with federal, state and local partners, adding that investigators would keep following evidence and holding those involved accountable.
At least 29 law enforcement agencies took part, including the DEA, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, South Carolina investigators and police departments in North and South Carolina.
