ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Investigators at the federal, state, and local levels spent months unraveling a drug trafficking operation they say spanned multiple states, including New Mexico.The man who was reportedly behind it is Heriberto Salazar Amaya.“He is the leader, and he was living in Salem, Oregon,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. “With him, they got millions of dollars, cash, cars. But the drugs were in Albuquerque, Phoenix and Utah.”16 people connected to the operation were arrested...
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Investigators at the federal, state, and local levels spent months unraveling a drug trafficking operation they say spanned multiple states, including New Mexico.
The man who was reportedly behind it is Heriberto Salazar Amaya.
“He is the leader, and he was living in Salem, Oregon,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. “With him, they got millions of dollars, cash, cars. But the drugs were in Albuquerque, Phoenix and Utah.”
16 people connected to the operation were arrested and drugs, guns, cash, and vehicles were seized. Officials say the Sinola drug cartel was behind it all.
“In Albuquerque alone, authorities seized staggering quantities of illegal drugs and assets including over 2.7 million fentanyl pills, 11 and half kilograms of concentrated fentanyl powder, 7 pounds of methamphetamine, multiple kilograms of heroin and cocaine, 41 firearms to include ghost guns and weapons modified for automatic fire, more than $600,000 in cash, and numerous luxury vehicles,” said Ryan Ellison, a U.S. attorney for the district of New Mexico.
The suspects were reportedly lacing other drugs with fentanyl.
“They put this in Xanax, they put this in Adderall. They put this in Molly,” said Bondi.
The feds say this bust will save lives.
“Together, we have sent a clear message we will not tolerate those who profit from poisoning American citizens,” Ellison said.
The DOJ says Salazar Amaya is from Mexico and entered the country illegally. But Bondi says they won’t deport him.
“I want them to stay in our prisons as long as possible. I’ve no desire to send them back to Mexico because they were coming across our border illegally. No longer will they be able to do that,” said Bondi.
She says decisions on deporting alleged gang members will be based on how much time they could receive in prison.