The Attorney General, Pam Bondi, at a press conference, threatened to send the arrested traffickers to Alcatraz prison, which has been closed for more than 60 years. Bondi described the arrest as historic and stated that it is a significant blow to the Sinaloa Cartel, a criminal group declared a terrorist organization by Donald Trump last January.
"Due to the amount of drugs, money, and weapons, most of these individuals, if convicted, will remain in U.S. prisons, maybe in Alcatraz," Bondi expressed. Among the 16 arrested members is Heriberto Salazar Amaya, identified as one of the leaders. Salazar Amaya had been deported twice to Mexico, leader of this Sinaloa Cartel network.
Trump has promised to reopen Alcatraz, and Bondi stated that the detainees could be sent to this prison. Alcatraz, an island located in San Francisco Bay, California, was closed in 1963 as a prison, and Trump has suggested its reopening to house violent offenders.
During its years of operation, Alcatraz housed dangerous criminals and was closed in 1963 after several escape attempts. Trump seeks to turn it back into a maximum-security prison. The recent arrest of individuals linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and the seizure of millions of fentanyl pills have reignited the discussion about the future of Alcatraz.
