Sinaloa Cartel leader Fidel Felix-Ochoa has been charged with fentanyl trafficking
NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
The alleged ringleader of the Sinaloa Cartel accused of smuggling large quantities of fentanyl into the US appeared in federal court on Monday, facing charges that could send him to prison for life.
According to the Department of Justice, Fidel Felix-Ochoa, 53, was an executive in a company responsible for drug trafficking and money laundering.
Prosecutors say he coordinated the smuggling of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine into the US, using couriers who transported the drugs by car and by mail.
Last year, Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel was designated by the US as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization.
The suspected leader of the Sinaloa Cartel accused of smuggling a large amount of fentanyl into the US has appeared in federal court and is facing a life sentence. (Department of Justice)
“These charges are against a top leader of the Sinaloa Cartel who is accused of directing the flow of large amounts of fentanyl and other deadly drugs into the United States,” said US Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “While these are allegations that must be proven in a court of law, this case demonstrates our Office’s unwavering commitment to disrupting global criminal organizations and protecting American communities from the devastating effects of drug trafficking. No cartel leader is above the law.”
Prosecutors say Felix-Ochoa ordered accomplices to store the drugs in hidden homes before delivering them to dealers and customers across the country, including Florida, Arizona, California, Texas and Massachusetts.
The investigation led to the seizure of approximately 73,000 fentanyl pills, 21 kilograms of pure fentanyl, 243 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, two kilograms of cocaine and 24 firearms.
DOJ ANNOUNCES CONDUCT IN MINNESOTA METH RING LINKED TO SINALOA CARTEL
The suspected leader of the Sinaloa Cartel accused of smuggling a large amount of fentanyl into the US has appeared in federal court and is facing a life sentence. (Department of Justice)
Felix-Ochoa is charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and, if convicted, faces a maximum prison sentence.
The case comes amid a growing crackdown on the Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl network.
Joaquín Guzmán López, 39, one of the so-called Chapitos who took over the leadership of a major cartel group after his father Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s 2019 conviction and life sentence, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in December in Chicago and further criminal charges. Prosecutors say he oversees the movement of large quantities of drugs into the US, often through underground channels.
SUSPECTED SINALOA CARTEL FENTANYL MANUFACTURER IDENTIFIED IN DRUG NEW US GOVERNMENT TESTED
Drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman in Mexico in 2014. (Susana Gonzalez/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Guzmán López was arrested in July 2024 along with long-time resident Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada on a private plane in Texas.
This request follows a similar agreement reached by his brother, Ovidio Guzmán López, months ago on charges of smuggling and money laundering.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM
Prosecutors say the Sinaloa Cartel remains one of the main drivers of fentanyl flowing into the US, fueling overdose deaths across the country. The synthetic opioid is more powerful than heroin and has devastated communities across the country.
El Chapo is in a maximum security US prison serving time in prison for running a multi-billion dollar smuggling empire. Prosecutors say his sons expanded the production and distribution of fentanyl after stepping into leadership roles.
Related Article
