Nineteen individuals have been charged by the federal government for participating in a drug trafficking operation that spanned across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The Justice Department revealed on Tuesday that 19 individuals from the United States, Canada, and Mexico have been accused of transporting significant quantities of drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl across North America.
According to investigators, a global criminal organization reportedly bought large quantities of illegal substances from Mexico and transported them to American cities such as Los Angeles. Canadian individuals known as “handlers” and “dispatchers” are accused of making short trips into the U.S. to load the drugs onto semi-trucks for transportation across the border. The drugs would then be sold at a higher price in Canada.
Overall, 12 individuals have been apprehended while seven are still evading capture. Authorities reported that one of the accused, Robert Scoppa, has connections to Italian criminal organizations in Montreal. The Department of Justice also identifies Jesus Ruiz Sandoval Jr. as a suspected high-volume drug dealer from Mexico who is currently wanted.
CBS News
The Justice Department announced the findings of “Operation Dead Hand,” which revealed a trafficking plot involving over 1,800 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,000 pounds of cocaine, and 44 pounds of fentanyl. Law enforcement confiscated drugs with an estimated street value of $16 to 28 million, along with $900,000 in cash.
Robert Legare
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Source: cbsnews.com