Feds Make Largest Fentanyl Bust In History, Arrest Illegal Alien With Ties To Deadly Cartel
Federal agents have taken down the largest fentanyl trafficking operation in American history, seizing enough poison to kill tens of millions and arresting a high-level operative tied directly to the infamous Sinaloa Cartel. Among those taken into custody: Heriberto Salazar Amaya, an illegal alien at the heart of the deadly enterprise.
In a sweeping multi-agency operation, authorities arrested 16 suspects and uncovered a staggering haul: 11.5 kilograms of pure fentanyl powder, nearly 3 million counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl, 49 firearms, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, luxury vehicles, and millions in cash. Just 2 milligrams of fentanyl is enough to kill — meaning this bust likely saved thousands, if not millions, of American lives.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, who announced the bust, didn’t hold back. She confirmed that six of those arrested were in the country illegally, including Salazar Amaya, who played a central role in trafficking narcotics for the Sinaloa Cartel. Rather than simply deporting the suspects, Bondi stated they will face full prosecution under U.S. law.
This bust comes at a time when fentanyl overdoses are killing more Americans each year than any other drug in history — with an estimated 75,000 deaths annually. Bondi emphasized that this isn’t just a public health crisis — it’s a national security emergency, fueled by international cartels and facilitated by America’s porous southern border.
Mexico, according to Bondi, has cooperated with U.S. authorities by extraditing 29 cartel-linked suspects. But the core of the crisis — the smuggling networks exploiting weak border enforcement — continues to threaten American families across the country.
.@AGPamBondi announces the takedown of a massive drug and weapons trafficking organization in New Mexico, operated by the Sinaloa cartel — resulting in the largest fentanyl seizure in our nation’s history and the arrests of six high-level cartel members illegally in the U.S. pic.twitter.com/6qdSd0bsCu
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 6, 2025
This historic bust is a powerful reminder of what’s at stake. The Biden-era open-border policies have emboldened criminal organizations, while President Trump’s return to aggressive enforcement and tough-on-crime leadership is already delivering results.
The Department of Justice has made it clear: this is just the beginning. More operations are underway, and more arrests are coming. The message is simple — traffickers, cartel operatives, and illegal criminals who push poison into our communities will be hunted down and brought to justice.