Following a major law enforcement sweep in Texas this week, 23 people are facing federal charges for their involvement in narcotics trafficking, gun violations, and money laundering. According to the Southern District of Texas US Attorney’s Office, US Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the operations, which took place in Houston, Galveston, and the Rio Grande Valley. Arrests resulted in some individuals appearing in court before U.S. Magistrate Judges Christina Bryan, Andrew Edison, and Nadia Medrano, while others are awaiting their day in court pending transfers from state custody.
The arrests followed grand jury indictments returned in May 2025. According to the charges, criminal acts began in January 2023 and continued until December 2024. It involved a complex web of unlawful activities that included cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine distribution, and illegal firearms dealing. According to a statement issued by the United States Attorney’s Office, some of those arrested were truck drivers ferrying drugs northward, transporting 10 kg of cocaine to Georgia with monies channeled back to cover expenditures and compensate collaborators.
These arrests were the result of a massive multi-agency endeavor that included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, among others. The operations, known as Operation Red Ranger, Borrowed Time, and Resurrection, were effective in seizing large amounts of illegal drugs and paraphernalia. Law authorities confiscated almost 170 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, over 2000 kilos of methamphetamine, more than 100 guns, nearly $3 million in cash, and property assets worth around $1.2 million.
Those involved in narcotics trafficking face severe punishments, including life sentences and multimillion-dollar fines. Money laundering accusations may result in up to 20 years in prison, and gun convictions might lead to 10 or 15 years in federal prison. Assistant United States Attorneys Leo J. Leo III, Patricia Cook Profit, Michael Day, and Roberto Lopez are prosecuting the charges as part of a larger operation known as Operation Take Back America. This project is the Department of Justice’s coordinated attempt to halt illegal immigration, eliminate cartels, and reduce violent crime.