Federal authorities arrested close to two dozen Sinaloa Cartel operatives responsible for moving drug shipments from Mexico to various cities throughout the nation. The leader of the cell, who remains a fugitive, is a convicted drug trafficker who was previously deported.



After more than 16 months of investigation, federal authorities arrested 23 members of a drug-trafficking cell tied to the Sinaloa Cartel cell led by 30-year-old Luis Angel Briseño Lopez, information provided to Breitbart Texas by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed.

Briseño’s group is believed to have smuggled large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from Mexico into the El Paso, Texas, and Las Cruces, New Mexico. From there, the drugs were shipped to multiple eastern and northern states; while the proceeds were shipped back to Mexico. While 23 members have been arrested, authorities continue to look for five others including Briseño, who remains a fugitive and is believed to be living in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.

The entire group has been charged in a 44-count criminal indictment that included drug trafficking conspiracy, money laundering, use of communication devices from a criminal enterprise, and firearms offenses.

Federal authorities have previously arrested Briseño Lopez in 2010 after capturing him along with his mother, Martina Briseño de Lopez, while they tried to cross into El Paso from Ciudad Juarez. At the time of the arrest, Briseño’s mother had six kilograms of cocaine strapped to her waist.

After pleading guilty to his role in the crime, a federal judge sentenced him to 46 months in prison and ordered that be he deported.

Sinaloa Cartel Cell by ildefonso ortiz on Scribd

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.

Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.