DEA: 171 Sinaloa Cartel arrests in New England in one week

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says a week-long cartel crackdown led to 171 arrests of cartel members in New England alone.

The DEA says all those arrested were tied to the Sinaloa Cartel, the Mexico-based network considered the largest drug cartel in the world.

“They’re our public enemy number one in New England,” said Jarod Forget, the Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s New England Field Division.

Forget told 25 Investigates that the goal last week was to arrest as many members of the cartel as possible.

Cartel Presence in New England

New England saw the highest number of regional arrests — 49 in Massachusetts, 33 in New Hampshire, and 64 in Connecticut.

Investigative Reporter Kerry Kavanaugh asked Forget:“Do you think people would be surprised to learn how many members of that cartel are operating probably in plain sight in their communities?”

“Sure, so Sinaloa Cartel in every single state across America, more than 40 countries around the world and obviously they’re in every state throughout New England,” Forget said.

Counterfeit Pills

The threat is reaching some people who have no idea they’re buying potentially deadly counterfeit pills.

“We see fentanyl powder and we see counterfeit pills, pills that are made to look like legitimate pills, notably M30.”

M30s are counterfeit oxycodone pills. Forget said the DEA is also increasingly seeing counterfeit stimulant pills made to look like Adderall.

“I’m a DEA agent, I cannot tell the difference between a fake one and a real one,” Forget said.

Among the drugs seized during the operation: more than 22,000 counterfeit pills, purple fentanyl powder, and packaging stamped with the Sinaloa Cartel logo.

Targeting Young People

Forget warned that the cartel is targeting unsuspecting young people online through common social media apps.

“So we need to remind parents, schools, caregivers, everybody in the community, have those conversations with each other. Have them with your kids,” Forget said.

Fighting the Network

25 Investigates asked:“171 arrests throughout New England does that make a dent?”

“We’re the DEA. We’re not going after low-level retail drug traffickers. We are going after drug trafficking organizations, the networks,” Forget said.

“How do you disrupt that, something that is so large, so vast, and seemingly so powerful?”

“Right, it’s an ongoing battle, one that we cannot, we can’t afford to give up, right? It’s the Sinaloa Cartel is a threat to public safety, our public health, and our national security as a country,” Forget said.

Ongoing Crisis

This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that while drug overdose deaths are declining, overdose remains the leading cause of death for young people ages 18 to 45.

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