DEA Declares ‘Battlefield Victory’ in Strike Against Sinaloa Cartel: 4.2 Million Fentanyl Pills Seized Across Western U.S.

WASHINGTON — In a coordinated operation spanning six western states, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration struck a heavily armed Sinaloa Cartel-linked fentanyl distribution network in late April, seizing 4,193,000 fentanyl pills, 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder, $4.5 million in cash, and 41 firearms. Federal officials say it may be the single largest seizure of the deadly synthetic opioid—originating from Chinese precursor chemicals—on American soil to date.

The DEA’s operation, executed April 28, capped a yearlong investigation into a trafficking group allegedly led by 36-year-old Mexican illegal immigrant Heriberto Salazar Amaya. Authorities arrested Salazar Amaya in Salem, Oregon, alongside more than a dozen co-conspirators across New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. A federal grand jury had indicted 14 individuals, and additional charges raise the total number of defendants to at least 16, according to court records and DOJ statements.

“Behind the fentanyl pills we seized are destructive criminal acts thwarted and American lives saved. This wasn't just a bust—it was a battlefield victory against a terrorist-backed network pumping death into our cities,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy. “This case represents DEA’s largest single seizure of fentanyl pills to date.”

According to court documents filed in the District of New Mexico, Salazar Amaya oversaw a sprawling poly-drug network distributing fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine across cities including Albuquerque, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Denver, Layton, and Salem. DEA agents and partner agencies conducted surveillance, ran undercover buys, and analyzed wiretapped conversations and financial trails to map the group’s logistics.

As part of this effort, agents discovered that the trafficking organization relied on commercial storage lockers to conceal large quantities of drugs. Investigators identified multiple stash units at an Extra Space Storage facility in Albuquerque. From April 2023 through August 2024, access records showed Locker A47 was opened 462 times using Salazar Amaya’s credentials. Surveillance footage showed cartel members regularly transporting bags, boxes, and luggage to and from the locker areas—reinforcing the pattern of a high-volume stash and courier system designed to move narcotics with speed and discretion.

Court filings describe one segment of the investigation that unfolded just a day before the takedown. On April 27, 2025, agents conducted surveillance at 732 Doe Lane SE in Albuquerque, a residence tied to the mother of alleged trafficker Francisco Garcia. Garcia, known to agents as a high-level distributor, was observed engaging in a suspected drug transaction with an unidentified male later confirmed as Phillip Lovato. Agents documented multiple vehicles at the scene, including a gold Ford Escape and a blue Chevrolet Malibu. During the surveillance, a known courier for the trafficking organization arrived, retrieved a large black-and-yellow storage tub from their vehicle, and carried it inside. Soon after, individuals exited the home and appeared to load an item into the back of the Escape.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide DOJ initiative aiming to repel illegal immigration, dismantle transnational criminal organizations, and safeguard U.S. communities from cartel-fueled violence.

The coordinated raids recovered approximately 4.2 million fentanyl pills, typically disguised as oxycodone tablets, along with 12 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 79 pounds of methamphetamine, 7.5 kilograms of cocaine, and 4.5 kilograms of heroin. Agents seized 41 firearms, including AR-15-style rifles, weapons equipped with suppressors, and untraceable ghost guns. Several firearms were modified with auto-sear devices, making them fully automatic in violation of federal law.

Cash seizures totaled $4,433,000, including $2.8 million found at Salazar Amaya’s Oregon residence. Vehicles—some with hidden compartments used for drug transport—were impounded. In one location, agents found a minor child in a stash apartment alongside weapons and narcotics.

Salazar Amaya, who used aliases including “El Viejon” and “Gabriel Gomez-Torres,” was previously deported and now faces additional charges for unlawful reentry and employing unauthorized aliens. The indictment alleges he harbored undocumented individuals and used them for drug packaging, stash house upkeep, and distribution tasks.

Authorities also seized luxury items from Salazar Amaya as evidence of criminal proceeds: jewelry valued at $50,000, a Mercedes AMG, and a Ford F-150 Shelby, with a combined estimated value of $150,000.

Prosecutors say the fentanyl seized could kill many millions, depending on dosage—a sobering reminder of the compound’s potency. Fentanyl is the leading cause of overdose deaths in the U.S., with CDC data estimating over 70,000 deaths from synthetic opioids in one year alone.

All defendants are being held without bail.

In a detention memo, federal prosecutors warned of the threat posed by the trafficking ring: “Defendants also must be viewed against the weapons that facilitated this large-scale trafficking and the millions of dollars in ill-gotten cash proceeds that flowed therefrom. The nature and circumstances of the conspiracy are sobering. The destruction that occurred in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, and Colorado at the hands of the HSA DTO mandate that Defendants remain in custody pending trial.”

Detailed DOJ seizure totals by location:

Albuquerque, New Mexico

• $610,000 in U.S. currency

• 49 firearms (including ghost guns and automatic weapons)

• 396 kg fentanyl pills

• 11.5 kg fentanyl powder

• 1.5 kg cocaine

• 3.5 kg heroin

• 7 lbs methamphetamine

• Ford Raptor & GMC Denali (~$140,000)

Salem, Oregon

• $2.8 million in cash

• Jewelry (~$50,000)

• Mercedes AMG & Ford F-150 Shelby (~$150,000)

Layton, Utah

• $780,000 in cash

• Dodge TRX Mammoth (~$150,000)

Phoenix, Arizona

• $390,000 in cash

• 72 lbs methamphetamine

• 13 kg fentanyl pills

• 2.4 lbs heroin

• 5 kg cocaine

Las Vegas, Nevada

• $93,000 in cash

• 2.7 kg cocaine

• 1 lb methamphetamine

• One undocumented individual apprehended and removed