DEA, FBI bust Sinaloa cartel, confiscate $10M in cryptocurrency

7 hours ago

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), moving alongside the FBI, has seized implicit $10 cardinal successful cryptocurrency linked to the infamous Sinaloa cartel during operations successful Miami, Florida.

The seizure came arsenic portion of an extended nationwide crackdown that has led to the confiscation of 44 cardinal fentanyl pills, 4,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, astir 65,000 pounds of methamphetamine, and much than 201,500 pounds of cocaine since January 2025, according to the US Department of Justice.

“DEA is hitting the cartels wherever it hurts — with arrests, with seizures, and with relentless pressure,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “We are dismantling these networks portion by portion — and we won’t halt until the past ceramic of their empire falls.”

The Sinaloa cartel remains 1 of six Mexican cause trafficking organizations labeled arsenic planetary “terrorist” groups by the US government. The radical is chiefly progressive successful the organisation of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl, cannabis and MDMA (ecstasy).

Difference betwixt authentic oxycodone and fake oxycodone. Source: DOJ

Related: Canada to show crypto transactions for cause money

DEA launches nationwide raids

The DOJ highlighted respective caller palmy raids crossed the US amid a nationalist crackdown connected drugs. In Lexington County, South Carolina, agents seized 156 pounds of fentanyl and 44 pounds of methamphetamine alongside a firearm and arrested a trafficker.

In California’s Kern County, a methamphetamine conversion laboratory was dismantled, with agents confiscating implicit 240 pounds of crystal meth and 151 gallons of liquid meth.

Georgia officials intercepted implicit 700 pounds of methamphetamine hidden successful a truckload of cucumbers, and Texas instrumentality enforcement uncovered 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine worthy implicit $15 cardinal hidden wrong a vehicle.

The raids coincide with ongoing ineligible battles against cartel figures, including Ovidio Guzman Lopez, lad of notorious cause kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who precocious pleaded blameworthy to cause charges successful Chicago.

“Our DEA agents are doing historical enactment to support our communities harmless from deadly drugs similar fentanyl and dismantle the cartels selling them,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said. “I privation to punctual each Americans to workout utmost caution: a pill tin kill.”

Related: DWF Labs spouse stood down aft drink-spiking allegations

Crypto crosschain laundering jumps to $21.8 billion

According to UK blockchain analytics steadfast Elliptic, illicit and high-risk cryptocurrency flowing done crosschain swaps has surged to an estimated $21.8 cardinal successful 2025, up from $7 cardinal successful 2023. North Korean actors relationship for astir 12% of these transactions.

The emergence of caller blockchains and crosschain services results successful much crypto laundering avenues. Source: Elliptic

Elliptic noted that crosschain swaps person go cardinal to laundering operations, arsenic criminals leverage aggregate blockchains to obscure the root and destination of funds. While costly and inefficient, these tactics person go modular successful large-scale laundering efforts.

Magazine: Inside a 30,000 telephone bot workplace stealing crypto airdrops from existent users

View source