27 Arrested In New Hampshire Drug Bust Feds Say Is 'Directly' Tied To Sinaloa Cartel

drug arrests — Federal authorities announced the arrests of 27 people in New Hampshire related to a drug smuggling operation. DEA

Federal authorities announced the arrest of 27 people in New Hampshire related to an drug seizure operation they say is tied to the Sinaloa Cartel.

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced on X that 27 people were arrested in Franklin, New Hampshire on Wednesday. The agency said that agents seized fentanyl and methamphetamine sourced from Lawrence, Massachusetts.

"The drugs are directly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel," the DEA stated. "The investigation continues."

money seized — Money that was seized along with drugs Aug. 27. DEA

Fox News reported that the Sinaloa cartel has long been considered a significant supplier of fentanyl in the U.S. The network added that Lawrence, Massachusetts has been cited as a key distribution point in the cartel smuggling network.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), fentanyl has significantly contributed to overdose deaths in the U.S. "Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine," the CDC website states. "It is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the U.S."

The CDC states that synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are responsible for 70 percent of overdose deaths in the U.S.