The Justice Department has indicted four sons of notorious drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, known as the “Chapitos,” as part of a broader campaign against fentanyl trafficking.
Attorney General Merrick Garland described the Sinaloa cartel, which is said to be responsible for most of the fentanyl smuggled into the US, as “the largest, most violent, and most prolific” drug organization of its kind.
The charges filed in Illinois, one of three states where indictments were filed, show that Chicago is a hub city for fentanyl pill smuggling.
Fentanyl, which is way deadlier than heroin, has become a major drug threat to America.
The US government is offering a reward of up to $10 million for the whereabouts of two of the indicted men.
The DEA has stated that the Sinaloa cartel is responsible for the majority of the fentanyl trafficked into the US.
Among the 25 other Sinaloa members charged, eight have already been arrested, with 20 still at large.
Fentanyl seizures by US Customs and Border Protection have increased by over 4,400% this year.
This major strike against America’s fentanyl crisis is aimed at disrupting the cartel’s smuggling operations before the deadly drug reaches American communities.
