A 42-count superseding indictment unsealed in November charged 16 of the defendants. This followed an initial indictment in April that charged 18 people and a separate indictment in July 2025 that charged two others. The charges stem from an investigation finding that the organization operated in South Carolina since at least 2011. According to prosecutors, the group supplied the state with hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine since at least 2021. Authorities allege the drugs originated in Mexico, were transported across the U.S. southern border, and were then repackaged and redistributed by members of the network.
During the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and other agencies seized substantial assets and contraband. Seizures included 346 kilograms of fentanyl, 70 kilograms of cocaine, 23 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 34 pounds of marijuana. Authorities also recovered 43 firearms and more than $2.8 million in cash. Additionally, agents seized jewelry and 15 luxury vehicles, which the department noted included two Rolls-Royces, a Lamborghini, and an Aston Martin.
Law enforcement also secured notices tied to 17 properties located in South Carolina and Georgia. The estimated combined value of these properties is nearly $4 million. The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force, a federal initiative focused on investigating and prosecuting criminal organizations. The investigation involved the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI’s Columbia field office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and numerous local and state agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike O’Mara and Cole Shannon are prosecuting the case. The Department of Justice released the indictments, which include a 42-count superseding indictment from November and a separate indictment from July 2025. The charges cover drug trafficking and money laundering related to the alleged organization’s operations in the Carolinas. The proceedings remain ongoing, with the presumption of innocence applying to all charged individuals until proven otherwise in court.
