Sinaloa Cartel Crushed: 16 Arrested in Marseille

Marseille: 16 arrests in a crackdown on a network with ties to the Sinaloa cartel

French authorities targeted a criminal network involved in the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs

Europol has supported the French National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie Nationale) in dismantling a criminal organisation producing and further distributing synthetic drugs on the EU market and globally. The investigation also involved law enforcement authorities from Belgium.

Two main organisers identified

In June 2024, the French authorities seized 216 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and arrested two French nationals in connection with the case. The subsequent criminal investigation revealed a criminal network involved in the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs with strong ties to the Mexican Sinaloa cartel as well as to criminal gangs active in Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

The two main organisers of the network relied heavily on the logistical support, expertise and preparation provided by the Mexican cartels. In turn, these cartels depended on local intermediaries to anchor their operations and expand their influence. This interdependence underscores the transnational nature of the network and the cooperation between criminal actors across continents.

Investigators established that the chemicals used in the production of the synthetic drugs had been sourced from China. The pieces of evidence collected during the probe led to the identification of the main organisers, one Algerian and one French national. The two suspects are allegedly responsible for the whole production and dissemination chain including the smuggling of pre-precursors, setting up the lab, “cooking” of the drugs and their subsequent trafficking. They used cryptocurrency to facilitate the illegal financial transactions.

The action day on 19 May led to:

16 arrests (1 Belgian, 13 French, 1 Serbian and 1 Mexican/American), 15 in France and 1 in Belgium;

16 house searches;

Seizures including 3 vehicles and luxury goods valued at about EUR 100 000, almost EUR 80 000 in bank accounts, phones and other electronics, and about EUR 10 000 in cash.

In addition, some EUR 30 000 in cryptocurrency has been frozen. That part of the investigation is still ongoing with further seizures expected down the line.