Over the weekend, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested a member of the Sinaloa cartel in El Paso, Texas. Sources reveal the individual, a Mexican national, possessed a substantial cache of weapons, including three rifles, two pistols, and over 3,000 rounds of ammunition. This arrest coincided with a surge in ICE operations across the country, resulting in over 1,000 apprehensions.

The DEA has highlighted the severity of the current drug crisis, with fentanyl and methamphetamine pouring across the border. The Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels are pinpointed as central figures in this crisis, operating clandestine labs in Mexico and utilizing extensive networks to distribute drugs within the United States.

The image above displays the confiscated pistols, rifles, and ammunition from the Sinaloa cartel member arrested in El Paso.

The Sinaloa cartel is known to exploit existing border tunnels, often integrated into sewage and water systems, to smuggle drugs undetected. This arrest follows the recent not-guilty plea of alleged Sinaloa cell leader Octavio Leal-Hernandez, accused of trafficking substantial quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and marijuana into the United States.

Pictured: ICE agents conducting a targeted enforcement operation in Chicago on January 26th.

The Trump administration is reportedly pushing ICE to significantly increase daily arrests, aiming for 1,200 to 1,500 apprehensions. While some sources refer to these targets as "quotas," the Department of Homeland Security clarifies that "goals" is the more accurate term.

An ICE agent participates in a multi-agency operation in Chicago.