600 Mexican Cartel Members Arrested Across U.S.A., Says DEA

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced the results of a months-long operation targeting one of Mexico’s most violent drug cartels known as Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion.

For six months, DEA agents across the country focused on members of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion in an effort to identify their operations, an agency news release revealed. The investigation took place as part of Operation Python.

The operation recently ended with more than 600 arrests, approximately 350 criminal indictments, and a series of large-scale money and drug seizures. In Texas, federal authorities arrested more than 230 suspects as part of the operation.

According to information released by the DEA Houston office, authorities in Texas obtained 112 indictments and served 11 warrants connected to Operation Python. Houston DEA’s investigation led to seizures in cash and assets totaling $5,777,770.22. Additionally, the agency seized close to 1,490 kilograms of meth, 690 kilograms of cocaine, and other drugs.

According to the DEA, CJNG is one of the fastest-growing transnational criminal organizations in Mexico. It is among the most prolific methamphetamine producers in the world and is responsible for a significant proportion of drugs entering the United States. In Mexico, the cartel’s actions led to elevated levels of violence. The criminal organization is currently led by Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes who has been behind the drug cartel’s rapid expansion.

As Breitbart Texas reported, U.S. authorities recently extradited El Mencho’s son Ruben “El Menchito” Oseguera from a Mexican prison and he is now awaiting trial on U.S. soil. Additionally, during El Menchito’s initial court hearing, U.S. authorities arrested his sister Jessica Oseguera on money laundering related charges.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.