Hawaii agents arrest alleged cartel member in nationwide drug bust

A man in Hawaii was arrested and charged in an interagency operation targeting the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as the JNGC.

JNGC is “one of the most dangerous transnational cartels in the world,” said U.S. Attorney Kenji Price.

Price was speaking at a news conference Wednesday in Honolulu with Acting Special Agent in Charge Louis A. D’Ambrosio for the Drug Enforcement Agency about the DEA operation “Project Python.”

Described as “unprecedented in both scale and complexity,” by the office of the Attorney General of the United States, Price said Project Python has resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of drugs and money, more than 600 arrests and 350 indictments across the country, including the arrest of Edmund Ferreira III on Monday in Hawaii.

Ferreira, who is currently in federal custody, has been charged with conspiring to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Agents allegedly intercepted communications between Ferreira and two co-conspirators, making arrangements to move large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl into Hawaii.

As part of a long-term wiretap investigation into the JNGC, agents allegedly intercepted several communications between Ferreira and another person identified in the complaint as “CC-1, an individual in charge of transporting methamphetamine from San Diego to Hawaii.”

According to the complaint, in December 2018, a parcel with several U.S. Postal Service tracking numbers was sent to another person, “CC-2,” who is not charged. Law enforcement agents intercepted and searched the parcel, which contained approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine. Another such parcel was searched in January 2019, and found to contain approximately six pounds of methamphetamine.

On April 4, 2019, CC-1 and Ferreira discussed a shipment to Hawaii with an address and number of a storage facility on Kalakaua Avenue, along with tracking information, subsequently intercepted by law enforcement. It was confirmed that the storage facility was rented by Ferreira. The parcel contained about 10 ounces of methamphetamine and 3 ounces of blue pills containing Fentanyl.

On April 5, Ferreira told CC-1 that he wanted another parcel sent to Waianae. That parcel was intercepted with approximately 25 ounces of methamphetamine, the complaint says.

In early-morning raids Wednesday, agents fanned out across the United States, culminating a six-month investigation with the primary goal of dismantling the upper echelon of JNGC and hoping to get closer to capturing its leader, one of the most wanted men in America. There’s a $10 million reward for the arrest of Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera.

The gang allegedly controls between one-third and two-thirds of the U.S. drug market. It is so violent that members leave piles of bodies in streets and hanging from overpasses in Mexico and in mass graves around the city of Guadalajara. They carry machine guns and hand grenades. They allegedly once used rocket launchers to shoot down a Mexican military helicopter.

More than 600 people have been arrested during the operation in recent months, more than 33,000 pounds of meth was seized and nearly $20 million taken as search and arrest warrants were executed. About 250 people were arrested Wednesday.

In his statement, Price said that JNGC is responsible for moving tons of methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl-laced heroin into the United States. It is also known to be responsible for manufacturing methamphetamine and fentanyl using ingredients imported from China and India.

Price emphasized that fentanyl is highly lethal. On the black market, he said, it is frequently found to be combined with other drugs. “Fentanyl is uniquely dangerous. It is killing people across the country.”

D’Ambrosio said that JNGC was seeking to gain a foothold in Hawaii, where “methamphetamine is the number one threat.” In Hawaii, he said, there is a significant mark-up on the sale price.

Ferreira, who is currently in federal custody, will have a detention hearing Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to the report.