DEA: More than 3,000 arrested in massive drug bust

The yearlong operation targeted the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels
Social media platforms were used to help track down traffickers
Thousands of pounds of fenetanyl and methamphetamine were seized

Updated: May 7, 2023 / 08:44 PM CDT

A display of fentanyl and meth that was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Nogales Port of Entry is shown during a press conference, Jan. 31, 2019, in Nogales, Arizona. (Mamta Popat/Arizona Daily Star via AP, File)

(NewsNation) — The Drug Enforcement Agency on Friday announced the results of an operation targeting fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking driven by the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels.

Operation Last Mile was a yearlong operation targeting cartel-driven drug trafficking within the U.S.

“The results of this operation – over 3,000 arrests and the seizure of almost 44 million fentanyl pills – demonstrate the Justice Department’s unrelenting commitment to working with our state and local partners to keep fentanyl out of our communities and save American lives,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said.

Officials say the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels use distribution networks across multiple cities, working with local street gangs and dealers to supply fentanyl and methamphetamine to American communities. Cartels also use social media platforms in their operations, and officials employed those platforms in tracking them down.

The investigations resulted in 3,337 arrests along with the seizure of nearly 44 million fentanyl pills, more than 6,500 pounds of fentanyl powder, more than 91,000 pounds of methamphetamine, 8,497 firearms and more than $100 million.