Fentanyl was smuggled into Los Angeles from Mexico inside of fireside extinguishers, in keeping with the U.S. Division of Justice, which charged 17 individuals within the scheme.
Ten of the suspects are in custody within the U.S., whereas the opposite seven are wished in Mexico, an announcement from the company mentioned.
The company alleges {that a} San Diego-based firm, Carin Trucking, operated no less than six semitrucks that usually crossed the border.
These vehicles carried hearth extinguishers stuffed with fentanyl, methamphetamine and heroin, hid by scrap steel, the DOJ says.
Fentanyl deaths have been on the rise, with the substance changing into Los Angeles County’s deadliest drug in 2023. Fentanyl induced 20% of deadly opioid overdoses nationwide in 2016, however that charge skyrocketed to 92% in 2022.
After crossing the border, the vehicles concerned within the smuggling scheme would proceed as much as Los Angeles, the place a courier would take the hearth extinguishers for distribution, the Justice Division alleges.
The federal government’s two-year investigation, referred to as Operation Smoke Jumpers, led to 13 seizures with big yields: “680,992 fentanyl drugs, 3 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 17 kilograms of heroin, and 10,418 drugs containing methamphetamine,” the assertion mentioned.
On Feb. 8, authorities started making arrests. Six of the 10 suspects have been taken into custody in Los Angeles and the Inland Empire.
One suspect, Toniel Baez-Duarte, was already in custody after being arrested in reference to a drug-fueled bloodbath of six in El Mirage within the unincorporated space of Adelanto.
“These defendants used a classy community to smuggle immense quantities of fentanyl into our nation,” U.S. Atty. Martin Estrada mentioned. “We all know that each fentanyl tablet can kill, however these defendants didn’t care concerning the widespread destruction they have been inflicting.”
Costs towards the 17 people embrace two narcotics conspiracies, 12 drug possession offenses and a cash laundering conspiracy. Potential most penalties embrace life imprisonment.
