DEA division serving Kansas, Missouri releases results of year-long operation targeting drug cartels

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. Drug Enforcement Company division serving Missouri and Kansas introduced the outcomes of a year-long operation concentrating on two Mexico-based drug cartels on Monday.

The DEA’s “Operation Final Mile,” which ran from Could 1, 2022 to Could 1, 2023, focused operatives and distributors with the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels, which the DEA says are liable for the “overwhelming majority” of fentanyl and methamphetamine within the U.S. killing Americans.

DEA St. Louis Division, which operates in Missouri, Kansas and southern Illinois, labored with federal, state and native regulation enforcement to conduct a complete of 29 investigations and 72 arrests as a part of the year-long operation. A complete of 1.3 million fentanyl capsules, 100 kilos of fentanyl powder, 200 kilos of methamphetamine, 405 firearms and almost $500,000 in property had been seized by the division.

“DEA acknowledges that even right here within the heartland of America, cartels are taking lives from our communities,” stated Michael A. Davis, DEA St. Louis Division chief and particular agent in cost. “As Operation Final Mile signifies, we’re consistently in the hunt for these taking family members away from us by means of the poison of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Let this function a warning: if you’re supporting the unlawful actions of those drug cartels, we can be on the lookout for you.”

Nationwide, “Operation Final Mile” led to 1,436 investigations, 3,337 arrests and the seizure of slightly below 44 million fentanyl capsules and 6,500 kilos of fentanyl powder — equaling 193 million doubtlessly deadly fentanyl doses that had been faraway from U.S. communities, in keeping with the DEA. The nationwide operation additionally led to the seizure of 91,000 kilos of methamphetamine, 8,497 firearms and over $100 million in property.

Over 1,100 of the nationwide investigations concerned social media platforms, together with Fb, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp and extra.

“The Cartels use social media and encrypted platforms to run their operations and attain out to victims, and when their product kills Individuals, they merely transfer on to attempt to victimize the hundreds of thousands of different Individuals who’re social media customers,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram stated in an announcement.

Final month, the DEA and Division of Justice introduced that 28 members and associates of the Sinaloa Cartel had been indicted.

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For jurisdictions that make the most of the Higher Kansas Metropolis Crime Stoppers Suggestions Hotline, nameless ideas could be made by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip on-line or by means of the free cell app at P3Tips.com.

Annual murder particulars and knowledge for the Kansas Metropolis space can be found by means of the KSHB 41 Information Murder Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Learn the KSHB 41 Information Mug Shot Coverage.