Authorities today reported of a cross-border raid conducted by both US and Mexican law enforcement officials. According to their reports, the raid led to the arrest of 22 members of the notorious Sinaloa cartel. As reported by CNN, the sting operation happened in the Arizona border with Mexico on Friday. Two other members of the cartel were killed in the exchange.
A spokesman of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported that the raid not only led to the arrests of 22 men; they were also able to nab hundreds of pounds of narcotics and "assault-type weapons."
Dubbed as the Mexican Operation Diablo Express, the raid initially targeted high-level members of the cartel who operated between the United States and Sonora, a state of Mexico. This was verified by the spokeswoman of the government agency responsible for the raid. Other agencies who took part in the successful raid include the Scottsdale Police Department, Arizona law enforcement officials, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the US Customs and Border Protection.
The Mexican federal officers who were part of the operation were brought in to the US to make sure that they stayed safe throughout the operation period. Especially since they were dealing with high-level members of the cartel, it was only understandable why these men were protected in US shores. At the same time, this was to ensure that the element of surprise was maintained to be successful in entrapping the cartel members.
As of this writing, the arrested members of the cartel have been said to be under the custody of the Mexican government. But according to the officials, the United States will be seeking extradition of those part of the arrest.
The Sinaloa cartel is a notorious organization known for the importation of millions of pounds of illegal drugs such as that of heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine. Apart from drugs, the group has been noted to have smuggling weapons and millions of dollars to and from the US and Mexico. The Mexican Operation Diablo Express sting follows the capture of Sinaloa cartel leader, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman earlier this month after being on the run from authorities for six months. It has been his second escape from a high-security prison in Mexico.
