Over 600 members of the Sinaloa Cartel were apprehended by the Trump administration during a week-long operation in late August.
Conducted by the Trump Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the nationwide operation ran from Aug. 25 to Aug. 29 and led to the arrest of 617 cartel members and the seizure of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin.
Meth hidden in pavers, an illegal marijuana warehouse, kilos of cocaine, cash, and guns all with ties to the #Sinaloa cartel. #DEA Houston Division is closing out the week with more than 50 arrests with direct links to the #Sinaloa cartel and we’re not done! #SinaloaCrackdown2025 pic.twitter.com/P3Y06P5Vrk
— DEAHouston (@DEAHOUSTONDiv) August 30, 2025
The drug seizures included 480 kilograms of fentanyl, 2209 kilograms of meth, 7469 kilograms of cocaine, 16.5 kilograms of heroin, and over 700,000 counterfeit pills.
The operation came months after President Donald Trump designated the Sinaloa Cartel as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February.
“The Sinaloa Cartel remains one of the most significant threats to public safety, public health, and our national security,” a DEA press release states. “DEA is committed to breaking their command, control, and distribution networks.”
“These results demonstrate the full weight of DEA’s commitment to protecting the American people,” DEA Administrator Terrance Cole said in a statement. “Every kilogram of poison seized, every dollar stripped from the cartels, and every arrest we make represents lives saved and communities defended. DEA will not relent until the Sinaloa Cartel is dismantled from top to bottom.”
Brian M. Clark, the Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Division, added that while the week-long operation was a success, the DEA is focused 24/7/365 on battling the Sinaloa Cartel.
“The Sinaloa Cartel’s reach is vast and unremitting,” he said. “This ruthless cartel is intent on cashing in, permeating our communities with their poison, with no regard to human suffering. For that reason, the DEA’s work remains critical and laser-focused. The success achieved during this operation is a direct result of the unwavering and exceptional work by the men and women of DEA.”
Announced on Monday, news of the operation comes amid a top Sinaloa Cartel faction leader being indicted in Chicago for running a criminal enterprise and on terrorism, drug, and firearm charges.
Alleged Leader of Sinaloa Cartel Faction Indicted in Chicago on Terrorism, Drug Trafficking, and Firearm Charges
“As alleged, Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe led a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that flooded the United States with fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin and used murder and… pic.twitter.com/zxnhQyrOuF
— Criminal Division (@DOJCrimDiv) September 8, 2025
“Oscar Manuel Gastelum Iribe led a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel that flooded the United States with fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin and used murder and intimidation to protect its profits,” acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti said.
“The Sinaloa Cartel has been designated a foreign terrorist organization because of the kinds of crimes announced today. This indictment further demonstrates that the [Department of Justice’s] Criminal Division will use every tool at its disposal to target cartel leaders, including by holding them accountable for acts of terrorism against our country,” he added.
Iribe is also known as El Musico.
According to the Narco Chronicles, singer La Receta once wrote an eponymous song called “El Musico” in which he claimed the cartel boss had begun his career under Arturo Beltrán Leyva in 1989.
“The lyrics of the song by La Receta claim that Arturo mentored El Musico, thinking of him almost as a son, and Arturo eventually elevated him to become his right-hand man,” the Chronicles note.
Later in 1994, Iribe commissioned artist Sergio Vega for the song “El Ayudante,” which reportedly told of how Beltrán had been mentored by Amado Carrillo.
As a cartel boss, Iribe “conspired with associates to distribute drugs nationwide, including in the Chicago area, using cars, trucks, rail cars, and other interstate carriers,” according to the DEA.
“To protect the cartel’s operations, Gastelum Iribe allegedly ordered and carried out violent attacks against rivals, military personnel, and law enforcement, including ordering the murder of a Mexican police officer and two others,” a DEA press release notes.
Under his leadership, the Sinaloa faction “armed its members with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, explosives, and other weapons, while also engaging in kidnappings, assaults, and bribery of corrupt public officials.”
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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