Twenty-three individuals have been detained on charges related to drug trafficking, firearms, and money laundering in Texas, following extensive law enforcement operations in the Houston/Galveston and Rio Grande Valley areas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Some of those apprehended have already appeared before United States Magistrate Judges in Houston, Galveston, and McAllen.
The arrests stem from five distinct but linked indictments returned by Houston and McAllen grand juries in May. The charges include cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking; firearms-related offenses; and money laundering, with some acts dating back to January 2023 and others taking place between May 2024 and December 2024. According to the news release, the indictments indicate that some defendants were truck drivers transporting drugs north, with 10 kg of cocaine being transferred to Georgia and money returned to cover the driver and other expenses.
The operations, known as Operation Red Ranger, Borrowed Time, and Resurrection, were part of months-long investigations by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. During the investigations, law enforcement seized over 170 kilos of cocaine and heroin, more than 2,000 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 100 guns, approximately $3 million, and four residences worth $1.2 million each.
Those charged with drug trafficking violations may face up to life in federal prison and millions of dollars in fines if found guilty. Money laundering violations can result in a 20-year term, whereas gun convictions can result in 10 or 15 years in federal prison.
The OCDETF operations were carried out by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and various local law enforcement agencies, according to the press release. Assistant United States Attorneys Leo J. Leo III, Patricia Cook Profit, Michael Day, and Roberto Lopez are prosecuting the cases.
According to the press release, this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a national campaign launched by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguard communities from violent crime.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal activity, not evidence, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty via due process of law.