A significant law enforcement operation in Texas has led to the arrest of 23 individuals on charges related to drug trafficking, firearms offenses, and money laundering. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei following coordinated actions in the Houston/Galveston and Rio Grande Valley areas.
Some of those arrested have appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judges Christina Bryan in Houston, Andrew Edison in Galveston, and Nadia Medrano in McAllen. Others remain in state custody on related charges but are expected to appear in federal court soon.
In May, grand juries in Houston and McAllen returned five separate but connected indictments. These documents allege crimes dating back to January 2023 for some individuals and between May 2024 and December 2024 for others. The alleged activities include cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking, as well as firearms-related offenses and money laundering.
According to court information, some accused individuals were truck drivers transporting drugs northward. Specifically mentioned is an instance where 10 kilograms of cocaine were delivered to Georgia with money returned for driver payments and other expenses.
The arrests result from months-long investigations under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), named Operation Red Ranger, Borrowed Time, and Resurrection. These efforts resulted in the seizure of over 170 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, more than two thousand kilograms of methamphetamine, over 100 firearms, nearly $3 million in cash, and four properties valued at $1.2 million.
If convicted on drug trafficking charges, many face potential life sentences in federal prison along with substantial fines. Those charged with money laundering could receive up to 20 years imprisonment while firearms convictions carry penalties ranging from 10 to 15 years.
The OCDETF operations were conducted by several agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration; Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Texas Department of Public Safety; sheriff’s offices across multiple counties; Texas Attorney General’s Office - Money Laundering Unit; West Tennessee Drug Task Force; police departments from Houston, Katy, Galveston; alongside Houston and South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area programs.
Prosecutors handling these cases are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Leo III, Patricia Cook Profit, Michael Day, and Roberto Lopez.
This case forms part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative leveraging resources from the Department of Justice's OCDETF program aimed at combating illegal immigration influences by dismantling cartels or transnational criminal organizations while safeguarding communities against violent crime perpetrators through streamlined efforts under Project Safe Neighborhoods.
It is important to note that an indictment serves as a formal accusation rather than evidence itself—a defendant remains presumed innocent until proven guilty via due legal process.
