Sinaloa cartel members imprisoned for fentanyl trafficking

Mark Moran
·2 min read
UPI
Authorities seized 21 kilograms of fentanyl that sent 7 members of the Sinaloa. drug cartel to prison, the U.S. Justice Department. Courtesy of U.S. Justice Department

May 16 (UPI) -- Seven key members of the Sinaloa drug cartel have been sentenced to prison for taking part in a fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking conspiracy, the Justice Department announced Thursday.

All of the defendants, including associates of the seven members, had pleaded guilty for their role in the scheme.

The seven primary defendants are from across the United States and Mexico. Three are from Arizona, one is from Rhode Island, one from California and two are from Mexico, the DOJ said.

"The cartel has developed global supply chain networks and operate clandestine labs in Mexico where they manufacture these drugs and then utilize their vast distribution networks to transport the drugs into the United States," the DOJ said in a press release.

"Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat the United States has ever faced, killing 38,000 Americans in the first six months of 2023 alone. Just one fentanyl pill can kill. Two milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially fatal dose and laboratory testing indicates seven out of 10 pills seized by the DEA contain a lethal dose of fentanyl," it said.

One the members who was sentenced to prison, Hector Alejandro Apodaca-Alvarez, 53, of Somerton, Ariz., had previously been convicted of narcotics trafficking-related offenses and the Justice Deptment said he used the U.S. mail and his personal trucking business to send tens of thousands of fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and cocaine to an agent in South Florida working undercover.

The Justice Department said Apodaca-Alvarez worked directly with Sinaloa cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada Garcia to traffic the narcotics.

Apodaca-Alvarez also worked with Mark Anthony Roque Bustamante, known as the "Skittles Man" because he was known for distributing colored fentanyl pills. Justice said Roque Bustamante was Apodaca-Alvarez's primary fentanyl supplier.

The two were said to have asked the undercover agent if he would supply them with high powered weapons, including .50 caliber rifles, that they intended to smuggle into Mexico, according to recorded conversations, the Justice Department said.

Apodaca-Alvarez was arrested in South Florida during a delivery that included 16 kilograms of fentanyl and 2 kilograms of cocaine to the undercover agent as part of a sting operation.

Authorities seized 21 kilograms of pure fentanyl, 70 thousand rainbow-colored fentanyl pills, 3,000 M30 blue fentanyl pills, blue in color; 243 pounds of crystal methamphetamine; two kilograms of cocaine, and 24 firearms (including 18 rifles and six pistols) related to this conspiracy, the Justice Department said.