Two men have been sentenced to prison for their involvement in laundering $23 million of drug money through Lexington, Kentucky, revealing the growing presence of Mexican drug cartels in the area. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has identified Mexican drug cartels as a major force in Lexington.
According to the Department of Justice, Anthony Scott Cossu and Felipe Martinez were sentenced to 70 and 60 months respectively for their roles in the money laundering scheme. Several of their co-conspirators have also been sentenced.
Kevin McWilliams, the public information officer for the Louisville Field Division of the DEA, confirmed that Mexican drug cartels have a significant presence in the Lexington area. The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel are two prominent cartels operating in Lexington. The city's proximity to major highways such as I-75 and I-64, as well as its accessibility to metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Chicago, and Detroit, make it an ideal location for drug smuggling.
An influx of higher-quality drugs into eastern Kentucky has also led to an increase in violence. U.S. Attorney Carlton Shier IV explained that drug trafficking activities often result in accompanying violent crimes that support large-scale drug operations.
The Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy reports that approximately 90% of the 2,135 overdose deaths in 2022 were linked to fentanyl and opioids. Both the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are known for trafficking illicit fentanyl into the United States.
DEA Administrator Anne Milgram recently highlighted the severity of the issue, stating, "the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels pose the greatest criminal drug threat the United States has ever faced." She emphasized that these cartels have members operating in every state across the country and in over 100 countries worldwide. Additionally, they control a significant portion of the global fentanyl supply.
The increased cartel activity in Lexington is a concerning trend that law enforcement agencies are actively combating. Authorities are working to disrupt cartel operations and prevent drug trafficking from further escalating violence and addiction rates in the area.
