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Mexican Man Pleads Guilty in U.S. to Manufacturing Fentanyl for Sinaloa Cartel, Sourced Chemicals from China Image: Julia Demaree Nikhinson
🇲🇽 Mexico /Economy & Trade

Mexican Man Pleads Guilty in U.S. to Manufacturing Fentanyl for Sinaloa Cartel, Sourced Chemicals from China

From El Universal · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Outcome reported
  • A Mexican citizen, Hernán Geovani Ojeda Elenes, has pleaded guilty in the U.S. to manufacturing fentanyl for the Sinaloa Cartel.
  • Prosecutors allege Ojeda Elenes obtained chemical precursors from China to produce fentanyl in Mexico for distribution in the U.S.
  • Authorities state the operation involved multiple tons of fentanyl and highlights ongoing efforts to combat transnational drug networks.

A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in the United States for his role in manufacturing fentanyl destined for the Sinaloa Cartel. Hernán Geovani Ojeda Elenes, 48, of Culiacán, Mexico, admitted to producing large quantities of the deadly synthetic opioid over several years. Court documents allege that from at least 2019 to 2024, Ojeda Elenes, along with his father and others, operated a drug trafficking organization based in Sinaloa.

Ojeda Elenes orchestrated the poisoning of Americans by manufacturing fentanyl for the Sinaloa Cartel.

— Brian ClarkDeputy Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's Southwest Region 5, describing the defendant's actions.

U.S. authorities detailed how Ojeda Elenes allegedly sourced precursor chemicals, such as 4-piperidone and N-phenylpiperidin-4-amine, from Chinese companies. These chemicals were then sent to his laboratory in Mexico, where fentanyl was manufactured. The finished product was subsequently imported into the United States for distribution and sale, contributing to the ongoing opioid epidemic.

Obtained chemical precursors from China, produced fentanyl in a Mexican laboratory and fed addiction from coast to coast, harming our communities.

— Brian ClarkDEA official detailing the drug's supply chain and impact.

"Ojeda Elenes orchestrated the poisoning of Americans by manufacturing fentanyl for the Sinaloa Cartel," stated Brian Clark, Deputy Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA's Southwest Region 5. He added that the DEA and its partners will continue to target drug trafficking networks threatening American security. The scale of the operation was significant, with Ojeda Elenes reportedly responsible for the creation and distribution of several metric tons of fentanyl.

The DEA and its partners will continue to target the core of drug trafficking networks that threaten the safety and well-being of the American people.

— Brian ClarkDEA official stating the agency's commitment to combating drug networks.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) emphasized their commitment to dismantling transnational criminal organizations. "Manufacturers of fentanyl like Ojeda Elenes leave death and devastation in communities across the United States," said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. "This guilty plea sends a clear message that HSI and our law enforcement partners will find those who manufacture and traffic fentanyl into our country and bring them to justice."

Manufacturers of fentanyl like Ojeda Elenes leave death and devastation in communities across the United States.

— Lucia Cabral-DeArmasHSI Special Agent in Charge commenting on the impact of fentanyl production.
About this summary

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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