36 Charged in Federal Investigation Into Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Ring in South Carolina

36 Charged in Federal Investigation Into Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Ring in South Carolina

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Thirty-six people face federal charges in a federal investigation into an alleged Mexico-based drug trafficking and money laundering organization linking the organization to South Carolina, the Justice Department said.

Federal authorities seized 346 kilograms of fentanyl, 70 kilograms of cocaine, and 23 kilograms of methamphetamine in the operation. Investigators also recovered 34 pounds of marijuana, 43 firearms, and more than $2.8 million, authorities said. Agents confiscated jewelry and 15 luxury vehicles, including two Rolls-Royces, a Lamborghini, and an Aston Martin.

The network supplied the state with hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine since at least 2021, prosecutors said. The organization operated in South Carolina since at least 2011, moving drugs originating in Mexico across the U.S. southern border, authorities said.

The distribution network stretched across the Lowcountry, Pee Dee, Grand Strand, and Midlands regions. Members allegedly repackaged and redistributed large quantities of fentanyl delivered by the organization.

36 Charged in Federal Investigation Into Mexico-Based Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Ring in South Carolina
Photo: justice.gov

Prosecutors Charge 36 People and Seize Properties Worth $4 Million

An indictment in April charged 18 people. Sixteen additional individuals were added via a 42-count superseding indictment made public in November, and an independent indictment from July 2025 brought charges against two more.

Nine of the 36 charged defendants were described by prosecutors as being in the country illegally. Six defendants have pleaded guilty, according to the department.

Authorities secured notices tied to 17 properties in South Carolina and Georgia. Those properties carry an estimated combined value of nearly $4 million, the department said.

“This investigation reflects the dedication and coordinated efforts of our federal, state and local partners,” said Michael J. Connolly, acting special agent in charge of the DEA’s Atlanta Field Division. “We will not stop at the first arrest.”

Federal and State Agencies Investigate Criminal Organizations

According to the Justice Department, the case is tied to the Homeland Security Task Force, which is a federal program aimed at examining and dismantling criminal enterprises. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI’s Columbia field office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and numerous local and state agencies investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike O’Mara and Cole Shannon are prosecuting it.

Safeguarding civil rights, maintaining national security, and enforcing the rule of law constitute the core duties of the Department of Justice.

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