NOGALES, AZ – A massive flow of poison into the United States has been choked off thanks to a rare instance of actual cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement. On June 23rd, Mexican authorities raided a drug trafficking operation in Nogales, Sonora, seizing enough narcotics to kill thousands. The bust was paired with the arrests of seven individuals in Arizona allegedly coordinating the smuggling operation.
The raid in Mexico yielded a staggering haul: 120,000 fentanyl pills, 15 pounds of methamphetamine, 17 pounds of heroin, and 15 pounds of cocaine. Agents also recovered three assault rifles, one 9mm handgun, and a vehicle used in the operation. This wasn’t some mom-and-pop shop; this was a sophisticated network pumping deadly drugs across the border.
Simultaneously, federal agents in Arizona arrested seven suspects linked to the Mexican organization. Gerardo Bernal-Mazon, 29, of Nogales, Arizona; Ashley Bernal, 31, of Nogales, Arizona; Jessica Yesenia Valenzuela, 32, of Nogales, Arizona; and Delyanira Lovio, 29, of Nogales, Arizona, were all indicted on February 2, 2023, on drug trafficking charges. Juan Murillo, 48, of Rio Rico, Arizona; Lilian Sugey Siegfried, 38, of Tucson, Arizona; and George Armenta-Vasquez, 45, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico (indicted January 25, 2023) join them facing similar charges.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, predictably, took a victory lap, stating this operation shows what can be achieved when the U.S. and Mexico “work together.” But let’s not pretend this is commonplace. Cross-border cooperation is usually hampered by mistrust and bureaucratic red tape. This time, however, it delivered results. The operation was part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, a multi-agency effort aimed at dismantling major criminal organizations.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Nogales, with support from DEA Mexico City, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Nogales, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Tucson. Critical coordination was provided by Mexico’s Agencia de Investigación Criminal (AIC). The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
While this bust is a temporary win, the drug war rages on. Expect more seizures, more arrests, and more bodies piling up as long as demand for these illicit substances remains high. Case Number: CR-23-00124-TUC-SHR (JR). Release Number: 2023-104_Bernal-Mazon, et al.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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