19 Charged in Breakup of Western WA Sinaloa Cartel Drug Ring

The charges were made public this week by the DEA, FBI and Homeland Security.

  For several years, agents monitored the inner workings of the ring

Federal agents said Monday (August 25th) they've broken up the US side of the ring, which often used semi-trucks to bring drugs up from CA and Mexico. The drugs were distriibuted from Tacoma to Lacey, and as far as Arlington and Whidbey Island.

The Sinaloa Cartel operated the ring, and Federal agents named the two main operators, "Rosario Abel “Joaquin” Camargo Banuelos, 31, and his brother Francisco “Fernando” Camargo Banuelos 24. The men are based in the Sinaloa area of Mexico." (FBI)

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During 2023 and 2024, undercover agents were able to monitor the "tentacles" of the operation, according to the FBI, and during the process, seized 95 kilos of meth and more than 41 kilos of fentanyl powder in October 2023.

Then over the last 3 weeks, a series of raids and operations resulted in 19 individuals being charged, 13 are in custody, and six are still being sought. Among the drugs taken by DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security included:

   "August 4, 2025, law enforcement seized seven pistols and three rifles, as well as nine kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 5 kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 4 kilograms of cocaine, and more than a kilogram of heroin. Law enforcement seized more than $342,000 in suspected drug trafficking proceeds."

Prior to those raids, agents also located and took 465 lbs. of meth, 269 lbs. of Fentanyl, 23  lbs. of cocaine, and 5.5 lbs of heroin. The raids are part of the Federal Operation Take Back America, aimed at strangling the drug trafficking from Mexico and other areas.