WASHINGTON, D.C. — Thirty-six people have been charged in a multi-state Homeland Security Task Force investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering spanning international borders, the U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice press release, November 10, 2026
Nine of the 36 people charged are in the United States illegally, according to the department.
Fentanyl Seized, Firearms Taken, Luxury Cars Flagged
During the investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration seized 346 kilograms of fentanyl.
Agents also seized 23 kilograms of methamphetamine and 70 kilograms of cocaine.
The seizures included 34 pounds of marijuana and 43 firearms.
More than $2.8 million was seized, the department said.
Agents also seized jewelry and 15 luxury vehicles, including two Rolls Royces, a Lamborghini and an Aston Martin.
Notices of lawsuits were secured on 17 properties in South Carolina and Georgia valued at nearly $4 million in total.
Operating Since 2011, Spanning Borders, Reaching Into Prisons
Investigators say a Mexico-based drug trafficking and money laundering organization has operated in South Carolina since at least 2011.
Its members are allegedly active in Mexico, South Carolina and other states, and inside the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
The organization has allegedly supplied South Carolina with hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine since at least 2021.
Investigators say the drugs originated in Mexico and were transported across the southern border.
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A large fentanyl distribution network was identified across the Lowcountry, Pee Dee, Grand Strand and Midlands regions of South Carolina.
An April 2026 indictment charged 18 members of the operation.
A 42-count superseding indictment, unsealed in November, charged 16 more people.
Two other people were charged in a third indictment in July 2025.
Six defendants have pleaded guilty so far, according to the department.
Task Force Case, Dozens Of Agencies, Charges Still Allegations
Attorney General Todd Blanche said the task force work had made people in South Carolina safer.
U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina said the investigation had an impact on every region of the state and beyond.
Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Connolly of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said the indictment sends a message that law enforcement will keep pursuing those responsible for distributing dangerous drugs.
The case was investigated by the DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI Columbia Field Office and dozens of state and local agencies in South Carolina and North Carolina.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike O'Mara and Cole Shannon for the District of South Carolina are prosecuting the case.
The charges are allegations only. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law, and the cases will proceed through federal court.
Anyone with information about drug trafficking or money laundering networks is asked to contact the DEA or their local law enforcement agency.
Sources: U.S. Department of Justice press release, "Multi-State Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to 36 Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering," November 10, 2026.
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Published: Nov 10, 2026. No major post-publication update has been logged.
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