A Southern California household allegedly tied to the Sinaloa Cartel is behind bars, however a fifth suspect continues to be on the run, after feds busted what they are saying was a significant fentanyl, meth and ghost gun operation.
4 males had been arrested Tuesday and had been anticipated to seem in federal courtroom in downtown Los Angeles, prosecutors mentioned.
The defendants, Jose Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, Alfonso Salazar, 46, Jose Manuel Salazar, 22 and Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, are all members of the identical household.
Authorities say three of them are undocumented immigrants from Mexico.
A fifth co-defendant, Jose Angel Lopez Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock, continues to be being sought.
Federal prosecutors unveiled a 29-count indictment accusing the group of working a drug trafficking and unlawful firearms operation from February 2024 by way of December 2025.
Investigators allege the boys labored collectively to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine whereas additionally promoting weapons, together with untraceable “ghost weapons.”
On the heart of the case is Salazar-Cruz, referred to as “Oso,” who authorities say coordinated offers utilizing textual content messages, encrypted apps, cellphone calls and face-to-face conferences.
The opposite defendants allegedly organized transactions between suppliers and patrons and dealt with in-person gross sales.
The indictment outlines a sequence of enormous drug offers. On Jan. 21, 2025, Salazar-Cruz allegedly bought practically one pound of methamphetamine together with about 324 grams of fentanyl.
On July 30, he was accused of promoting roughly 1.2 kilograms of meth, adopted by one other deal involving roughly 2.3 kilograms on Dec. 19.
Prosecutors say the group additionally trafficked firearms between December 2024 and July 2025.
Among the many weapons allegedly bought had been a Glock .45-caliber pistol, a “road sweeper” harmful machine, and a privately made AR-style rifle with out a serial quantity, generally known as a ghost gun.
Salazar-Cruz faces essentially the most in depth listing of costs, together with a number of counts of drug distribution, being an unlawful alien in possession of firearms, trafficking in firearms, possession of a harmful machine and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
The remaining defendants face a variety of drug and gun-related felonies.
Paniagua, the fugitive, is accused of supplying narcotics sourced from Sinaloa Cartel members and faces further costs, together with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a number of counts of drug distribution.
In line with prosecutors, members of the group advised a purchaser in Might 2025 that their medicine had been transported from Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico, crossing the border by trailer earlier than reaching Southern California.
All 5 defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute managed substances and conspiracy to deal firearms with out a license, in addition to participating within the enterprise of dealing firearms with out a license.
If convicted on all counts, every defendant faces a compulsory minimal sentence of 10 years in federal jail and will obtain as much as life behind bars.
The case is being investigated by a coalition of federal and native companies, together with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Safety Investigations, the USA Postal Inspection Service and a number of Southern California legislation enforcement departments.
The arrests come as authorities intensify efforts towards the Sinaloa Cartel.
The arrests come as officers introduced an elevated reward for cartel determine Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, one of many “Chapitos,” who assumed management of the group after their father, Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
Officers emphasised that each one defendants are presumed harmless except and till confirmed responsible in courtroom.
