Mexican National Indicted for Running Meth Pipeline into America

A 45-year-old man from Mexico faces federal charges for allegedly operating a narcotics network that pumped large volumes of synthetic stimulants into U.S. cities.

Mexican National Indicted for Running Meth Pipeline into America

A grand jury in Washington has handed up charges against a foreign citizen accused of overseeing a major narcotics operation that fed methamphetamine into communities across the United States.

Jaime Sanchez Soriano, 45, known on the street as "Jimmy," was captured by authorities in Mexico on March 19. He now faces accusations of orchestrating a scheme to manufacture and move synthetic stimulants north of the border, while simultaneously washing the illicit proceeds.

A conviction would carry a mandatory minimum of a decade behind bars, with the possibility of a life term.

Before his apprehension, Sanchez Soriano allegedly obtained his product from Los Viagras, a vicious trafficking ring that operates under the umbrella of the United Cartels. That larger federation is considered one of the globe's most prolific producers of methamphetamine, capable of generating multiple metric tons each month.

The organization's reach stretches throughout the American interior, with established hubs in Missouri, Texas, Georgia, California, Colorado, Illinois, and elsewhere. Its tentacles also extend to Europe, Australia, and beyond.

Earlier this year, the State Department formally designated the United Cartels—also referred to as Cárteles Unidos—as a terrorist organization. By late summer, the Justice Department had announced charges against numerous high-ranking figures within both the United Cartels and Los Viagras.

Homeland Security Investigations is leading the probe. The case is being prosecuted by attorneys from the department's financial crimes and narcotics unit, with help from federal prosecutors in western Missouri.

The matter is being pursued under a federal task force created to dismantle transnational criminal organizations, drug syndicates, and human smuggling operations.

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

Source: DOJ Justice News