Key Insights:
- The DEA in the US recently cracked down on the Sinaloa Cartel, seizing $10 million in crypto.
- This comes amid a nationwide drug bust, which has yielded nearly $400 million over the last decade.
- The recent incident shows a growing trend of crypto being used in drug and non-drug related crimes.
Federal authorities in the United States have seized over $10 million in crypto assets tied to the Sinaloa cartel this week. This move marks another step towards disrupting the financial systems of one of the world’s most powerful criminal organizations.
The crypto seizure, which took place in Miami, is part of a nationwide campaign that aims to dismantle drug networks. This is how crypto has been used so far by this cartel and how the seizure happened.
Miami Crypto Bust Shows New Era of Enforcement
The recent seizure came after a coordinated effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Agents targeted a laundering network that used crypto to disguise and transfer drug money. The funds, which amounted to more than $10 million, were directly linked to operations run by the Sinaloa cartel in Florida.
Authorities say this bust shows just how criminal groups are evolving. The use of crypto allowed these traffickers to move money faster and more secretly across borders. Over the last few years methods like cash smuggling are being replaced with crypto wallets, which is a disturbing development for the crypto community.
Cartels Turn to Crypto and Law Enforcement Follows
Over the past few years, criminal enterprises have increasingly used crypto to hide funds. In response, U.S. federal agencies have stepped up their response and are putting in more efforts to trace and seize these assets.
Though the $10 million seized in crypto is a major achievement, it is just one component in the war against drug trafficking and other crimes. In South Carolina, for example, agents seized 156 pounds of fentanyl and 44 pounds of methamphetamine, while in Gainesville, Georgia, over 700 pounds of meth were found hidden in a truck transporting cucumbers.
Texas also saw major hauls. In Austin, agents discovered 783 pounds of meth stashed in a refrigerated truck loaded with blueberries. A separate operation in Galveston turned up more than 1,700 pounds of meth, valued at over $15 million.
In El Paso, 115 pounds of meth were found in a vehicle equipped with a GPS tracker, which is a sign of how cartels are using technology to monitor shipments.
California was another major battleground. In Kern County, DEA agents dismantled a meth conversion facility. They confiscated over 240 pounds of crystal meth and 151 gallons of liquid meth. In Fresno, agents seized 24 pounds of carfentanil disguised as prescription medication, the largest such bust in Northern California to date.
Governments Are Cracking Down On Digital Assets Crime
The U.S. government’s ability to pursue these crypto cases is improving massively over the years.
DOJ indicts Sinaloa cartel leaders as blockchain firms trace millions in crypto tied to global fentanyl trafficking and laundering
Crime. pic.twitter.com/pAPl3btsJh
— Gordon (@AltcoinGordon) May 15, 2025
Agencies now use tools like blockchain forensics, digital asset tracking and wallet surveillance tools to identify suspicious transactions. The Secret Service alone has seized nearly $400 million in crypto over the last decade according to Bloomberg. These crypto assets are often linked to fraud and drug trafficking, and have become a major part of criminal investigations.
As cartels modernize their methods, U.S. law enforcement is following suit. The integration of financial intelligence with traditional policing is becoming the new norm.
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