Federal Authorities Arrest Southern California Family for Drug and Firearms Trafficking Linked to Sinaloa Cartel

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:07:00 +0200

Federal authorities have arrested four members of the Salazar family from Southern California in connection with a drug and firearms trafficking operation linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel. The arrested individuals include José Luis Salazar-Cruz, Alfonso Salazar, José Manuel Salazar, and Jorge Humberto Salazar, who face a total of 29 criminal charges, including trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine, firearms offenses, and possession of unregistered weapons. The operation, active from February 2024 to December 2025, involved coordinated sales through encrypted messaging, phone calls, and in-person meetings. Salazar-Cruz, considered the ringleader, sold firearms to undercover agents and provided photos of unregistered weapons, including a ghost gun. The operation also involved sourcing drugs from cartel members in Tijuana and Mexicali, transported across the border for distribution. José Ángel López Paniagua remains at large and is also charged with multiple drug and firearms offenses