Expert: Sinaloa Cartel Indictments Won't Stem Fentanyl Flow Into the U.S.

SAN DIEGO ( Border Report )— An authority on cartels claims that the indictments issued this week against key figures of the Sinaloa cartel will likely do little to stop them from producing and smuggling fentanyl and other narcotics into the U.S. in the near future.

Everard Meade serves as the director. Proceso Pacifico, An entity operating in regions affected by cartel-related violence, such as the city of Culiacán, which serves as the base for the Sinaloa cartel, regarded as the biggest producer and trafficker of fentanyl globally.

Meade was not shocked when the U.S. Attorney announced "the first ever federal charges for narco-terrorism" against the cartel and its affiliated groups.

Leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel have been charged in a pioneering 'nation-first' case accusing them of 'narcoterrorism.'

I'm certain they possess substantial evidence," he stated. "It won't come as a shock to many that they were charged in the U.S., particularly given the current focus on fentanyl.

He stated that historical evidence indicates that the arrest, killing, or indictment of a cartel’s leadership does not always lead to an end of drug trafficking or violent activities.

We've learned from drug busts that these substances keep circulating, and the statistics on violent incidents indicate that such acts persist—if anything, they might be getting more severe," Meade stated. "We still have quite a journey ahead of us before we can claim that the Sinaloa cartel and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación have been eradicated.

He cited an instance from Tijuana when the Arellano Felix Organization (AFO) was dismantled several years back as a key example.

The Mexican security official has confirmed that members of drug cartels were allowed entry into the U.S. as part of an agreement with the Trump administration.

It used to be the topic we discussed frequently within this border community—the Arellano Félix organization. The DEA likely achieved its biggest victory with the capture of all their leaders. However, drugs are still prevalent in Tijuana, which is now more violent than during the peak of the AFO cartel's reign.

Meade suggests that individuals ought to temper their expectations regarding the indictments and their potential impact on reducing drug trafficking into the U.S.

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We must temper our expectations regarding drug trafficking and the surge in violence since past events indicate that, regrettably, things could temporarily go in reverse once we dismantle the top tiers and reduce part of their hierarchical structure—what follows is often disorder, which typically leads to increased violence and a proliferation of smaller but more unstable factions. This has been observed with the Zetas along the Gulf Coast; addressing these issues requires a long-term strategy.

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