DEA Arrests 4 In Tulsa Connected To Ruthless Drug Cartel

The DEA has arrested 500 people across the country tied to what they call one of the biggest and most ruthless drug cartels in the world.

Four of those arrested were in Tulsa.

The operation was called Project Python and focused on the Cartel Jalisco New Generation or CJNG.

The DEA said they want to arrest every person tied to this drug cartel. It’s taking down the top leaders that will dismantle the cartel and that will have the greatest impact on our communities.

"They are one of the most organized drug trafficking organizations and they are expanding every day,” said David L. King, who is the head of the Tulsa DEA Office.

He said Cartel Jalisco New Generation is violent and determined to flood the United States with heroin and meth and they are operating right here in Tulsa.

"They have command and control cells,” said King. “They communicated directly with Mexico for the distribution of narcotics and facilitation of drug proceeds back to Mexico. Those cells litter our neighborhoods, our schools, and our streets with narcotics, for strictly profit."

Project Python helped take down 500 people this week, tied to CJNG, from L.A. to Atlanta.

The Tulsa DEA Task Force worked with eight local agencies to arrested four people, accused of distributing heroin.

Those agencies were Tulsa Police, Broken Arrow Police, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Rogers County District 12, Board of Dentistry, Bureau of Indian Affairs as well as Homeland Security Investigators.

Agents confiscated $30,000 in drug money and two and a half kilos of heroin, with a street value of around $150,000.

"Unfortunately, U.S. citizens create the demand,” said King. “These drug trafficking organizations exploit the demand by selling product in order to make profit."

King said CJNG has more than 100 meth labs in Mexico and uses cars, people and goods to get their drugs into the hands of Americans.

He said the cartels' violence spills into our local communities, and they will do whatever they have to do to make a profit.

"It is absolutely destroying our community. The demand is there. These drug trafficking organizations continue to prey on the demand and are devastating our community,” said King.

The Leader of CJNG is a man named El Mencho.