The United States Department of Justice announced a historic fentanyl seizure on Tuesday, May 6, as part of the 'Take Back America' operation, which resulted in the arrest of 16 individuals, including Heriberto Salazar Amaya, leader of a Sinaloa Cartel cell. Authorities seized three million fentanyl pills, over 5 kilos of cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated: 'This historic drug seizure, led by the DEA, represents a significant blow against the Sinaloa Cartel, removing the poison from our streets and protecting American citizens from the scourge of fentanyl.'
In addition to Heriberto Salazar Amaya, authorities arrested another 15 people involved in the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Pam Bondi mentioned the possibility of sending traffickers to Alcatraz prison, which closed its doors more than 60 years ago.
Heriberto Salazar Amaya, 36, faces three additional charges related to immigration: illegal reentry after deportation, hiring an unauthorized alien, and conspiracy to harbor unauthorized aliens. He operated in several cities across the United States, according to DEA information.
The DEA began investigations in 2020 against Heriberto Amaya, conducting physical surveillance and undercover operations to gather information on his activities. Amaya's modus operandi involved receiving drug orders from his customers and sending messengers to make large deliveries in different metropolitan areas, coordinating all logistical movements.
