DEA-Led Operation Project Python More Than 600 Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación Members Arrested

By Paul Davis

On March 11th, the U.S. Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced the results of Project Python, a DEA-led interagency operation encompassing all global investigations and related disruption activities targeting the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).

According to the Justice Department, the announcement marked the successful conclusion of six months of investigative and enforcement activity targeting the cartel, which resulted in more than 600 arrests, 350 indictments, as well as significant seizures of money and drugs.

“Project Python marks the most comprehensive action to date in the Department of Justice’s campaign to disrupt, dismantle, and ultimately destroy CJNG,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Criminal Division. “When President Trump signed an Executive Order prioritizing the dismantlement of transnational criminal organizations, the Department of Justice answered the call and took direct aim at CJNG. We deemed CJNG as one of the highest-priority transnational organized crime threats we face.”

Brian Benczkowski

Acting DEA Administrator Uttam Dhillon noted that this was the single largest strike by American law enforcement. “This strategic and coordinated project exemplifies DEA’s mission: to disrupt, dismantle, and destroy drug trafficking organizations around the world and bring their leaders to justice,” Dhillon said. “The DEA has disrupted CJNG’s operations, and the...