HOUSTON, Texas– Federal authorities have charged 40 individuals in connection with a large-scale money laundering operation tied to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC).
The arrests, which stem from a 21-month investigation, have primarily affected the Houston area, with 29 individuals taken into custody.
The operation, named Operation Noch, was led by Jennifer Lowery, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, in cooperation with various law enforcement agencies.
The cartel allegedly smuggled drugs into the U.S., with the proceeds used to purchase cell phones from stores in Houston.
These phones were then sent to Mexico, where they were resold at inflated prices, generating financial gains for the cartel.
Among those charged are Nabeel Iqbal and Asad Wali Kesaria, who own two implicated Houston stores.
They face charges of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and laundering of monetary instruments, with each charge carrying a potential 20-year prison sentence.
The investigation, which spanned multiple states, including Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, led to the seizure of $3.2 million in cash, along with large quantities of drugs, including 754 kilograms of cocaine, 588 kilograms of Alprazolam, 111 kilograms of methamphetamine, six kilograms of heroin, and four kilograms of fentanyl.
Authorities also named Francisco Jaramillo-Valdovinos, a high-ranking member of the JNGC, as a key figure in the operation. Jaramillo, along with nine others, remains a fugitive in Mexico.
The operation disrupted a key financial network supporting the cartel’s activities. Authorities continue to pursue individuals at large and work to dismantle remaining operations tied to the cartel.
The investigation highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to combat drug trafficking and the financial operations of criminal organizations.
