Latest news with #OvidioGuzmanLopez
Daily Tribune
a day ago
- Daily Tribune
US drug raids net $10 mn in crypto linked to Sinaloa cartel
US drug enforcement agents seized more than $10 million in cryptocurrency linked to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel during raids that netted massive quantities of fentanyl and other drugs, officials said Tuesday. The Sinaloa cartel is one of six Mexican drug trafficking groups that President Donald Trump has designated as global 'terrorist' organizations. The cryptocurrency seizure in Miami, Florida was part of countrywide operations that netted 44 million fentanyl pills, 4,500 pounds (2,000 kilograms) of fentanyl powder and nearly 65,000 pounds of methamphetamine since January, the US Department of Justice said in a statement. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in coordination with its FBI partners, 'seized over $10 million dollars in cryptocurrency, directly linked to the Sinaloa cartel,' it added. It comes days after Ovidio Guzman Lopez, a son of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, pleaded guilty to drug charges in Chicago in a deal struck with prosecutors in return for a reduced sentence. His father was convicted in a high-profile trial in 2019 and is serving a life sentence in prison. 'DEA is hitting the cartels where it hurts -- with arrests, with seizures, and with relentless pressure,' DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy said. The cryptocurrency haul was among several major seizures across the country in recent weeks, including in California, Texas, Georgia and other states that netted thousands of pounds of drugs and dozens of arrests. In Galveston, Texas, agents uncovered more than 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine worth more than $15 million hidden inside a vehicle. Other raids yielded drugs hidden in produce shipments, including 705 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in cucumbers in Georgia and 783 pounds found in a refrigerated truck carrying blueberries in Texas.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
U.S. drug raids net $10 million in crypto linked to Sinaloa cartel
U.S. drug enforcement agents seized more than $10 million in cryptocurrency linked to Mexico's Sinaloa cartel during raids that netted massive quantities of fentanyl and other drugs, officials said Tuesday (July 15, 2025). The Sinaloa cartel is one of six Mexican drug trafficking groups that U.S. President Donald Trump has designated as global "terrorist" organizations. The cryptocurrency seizure in Miami, Florida was part of countrywide operations that netted 44 million fentanyl pills, 4,500 pounds (2,000 kilograms) of fentanyl powder and nearly 65,000 pounds of methamphetamine since January, the US Department of Justice said in a statement. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), in coordination with its FBI partners, "seized over $10 million dollars in cryptocurrency, directly linked to the Sinaloa cartel," it added. It comes days after Ovidio Guzman Lopez, a son of Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, pleaded guilty to drug charges in Chicago in a deal struck with prosecutors in return for a reduced sentence. His father was convicted in a high-profile trial in 2019 and is serving a life sentence in prison. "DEA is hitting the cartels where it hurts -- with arrests, with seizures, and with relentless pressure," DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy said. The cryptocurrency haul was among several major seizures across the country in recent weeks, including in California, Texas, Georgia and other states that netted thousands of pounds of drugs and dozens of arrests. In Galveston, Texas, agents uncovered more than 1,700 pounds of methamphetamine worth more than $15 million hidden inside a vehicle. Other raids yielded drugs hidden in produce shipments, including 705 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in cucumbers in Georgia and 783 pounds found in a refrigerated truck carrying blueberries in Texas.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Washington Post
El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzmán López pleads guilty to U.S. drug charges
A son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán Loera pleaded guilty Friday to federal drug charges in Chicago under a deal with the U.S. government. Ovidio Guzmán López, 35, was captured in Mexico and extradited to the United States in 2023. Prosecutors have accused Guzmán López and three of his brothers — known as 'Los Chapitos' or 'little Chapos' — of taking over their father's role in the Sinaloa cartel following his arrest. Last month, the U.S. State Department sanctioned the Los Chapitos faction of the cartel, which it said was 'at the forefront of trafficking fentanyl into the United States.'
Sunday World
6 days ago
- Sunday World
Son of Mexican drug kingpin ‘El Chapo' Guzman admits trafficking charges
Ovidio Guzman Lopez and his brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, ran a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. A son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin 'El Chapo' has pleaded guilty Friday to US drug trafficking charges. Prosecutors allege Ovidio Guzman Lopez and his brother, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, ran a faction of the Sinaloa cartel. They became known locally as the 'Chapitos', or little Chapos, and federal authorities in 2023 described the operation as a massive effort to send 'staggering' quantities of fentanyl into the US. Ovidio Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms charges tied to his leadership role in the cartel. Ovidio Guzman Lopez has pleaded guilty (CEPROPIE via AP) News in 90 Seconds - Saturday July 12 As part of a plea agreement, Guzman Lopez admitted to helping oversee the production and smuggling of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl into the United States, fuelling a crisis that has contributed to tens of thousands of overdose deaths annually. Terms of the deal, including sentencing recommendations or cooperation agreements, were not immediately disclosed. Speculation about a deal had percolated for months, as behind-the-scenes negotiations quietly progressed. The hearing was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was moved to Friday by US District Judge Sharon Coleman without explanation. Hearings have often been delayed or rescheduled. Ovidio Guzman Lopez's father, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, is serving a life sentence after being convicted in 2019 for his role as the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel, having smuggled mountains of cocaine and other drugs into the United States over 25 years. The brothers allegedly assumed their father's former role as leaders of the Sinaloa cartel. Ovidio Guzman Lopez was arrested in Mexico in 2023 and extradited to the United States. He initially pleaded not guilty but signalled in recent months his intent to change his plea. Joaquin Guzman Lopez and another long-time Sinaloa leader, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, were arrested in July 2024 in Texas after they landed in the US on a private plane. Both men have pleaded not guilty to multiple charges. Their dramatic capture prompted a surge in violence in Mexico's northern state of Sinaloa as two factions of the Sinaloa cartel clashed.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Time of India
Ovidio Guzman Lopez: Drug lord 'El Chapo's' son pleads guilty; admits to drug trafficking charges
Ovidio Guzman Lopez (AP image) Ovidio Guzman Lopez, the son of notorious Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' pleaded guilty on Friday (local time) to drug trafficking charges in the United States. He is the first of El Chapo's sons to agree to a plea deal with US prosecutors. Prosecutors say Ovidio and his brother, Joaquín Guzmán López, led a faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as the 'Chapitos' or 'little Chapos.' Authorities described their operation as a major effort to smuggle huge amounts of fentanyl into the US, contributing to tens of thousands of overdose deaths every year. As part of the plea deal, Ovidio admitted to overseeing the production and trafficking of cocaine, heroin , methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl into the US. He also pleaded guilty to money laundering and firearms charges connected to his leadership role in the cartel. The specific terms of the agreement, including possible sentencing reductions or cooperation agreements, were not immediately disclosed. However, officials said sentencing has been delayed as Ovidio cooperates with US authorities. His lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, said he would wait until sentencing before discussing whether it was a good deal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Secure your family's future! ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo Lichtman also pointed out that the case against Ovidio's brother Joaquín is different and might take longer to resolve. 'Remember, Joaquin was arrested in America well after Ovidio was, so it takes time,' Lichtman said. Laurie Levenson, a law professor at Loyola Law School and former assistant US attorney in Los Angeles, said Ovidio's guilty plea might have helped protect his family members. 'In this way, he has some control over who he's cooperating against and what the world will know about that cooperation.' Levenson described the plea deal as a 'big step' for the US government. Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday criticized what she called a 'lack of coherence' in American policy toward Mexican cartels. She pointed out the contradiction between the US labeling cartels as foreign terrorist organizations while also making plea deals with their leaders. Ovidio Guzmán López was arrested in Mexico in 2023 and extradited to the United States. He had first pleaded not guilty but signaled in recent months that he would change his plea. His father, Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán, is serving a life sentence in the US after being convicted in 2019 for leading the Sinaloa cartel and having smuggled massive amount of cocaine and other drugs into the United States for over 25 years.
