The US Justice Department on Thursday announced federal gun and drug charges brought against 81 alleged members of Puerto Rican gang “Los Baja Deo” following a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) investigation.
Attorney General Todd Blanche stated that the DHS investigation led to the seizure of 21 firearms and uncovered “the distribution of at least 340 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and at least 2,200 kilograms of cocaine…generating over $49 million in proceeds.” Blanche also lauded the potential deterrent effects of continued DHS activity in the greater US.
The investigation sprang from Executive Order 14159, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion.” The DHS task force coordinated with multiple sister agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Borough of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and local law enforcement. Puerto Rico Police Superintendent Joseph González affirmed his commitment to cooperate with federal agencies to address drug-related crime in the territory, stating:
The Puerto Rico Police remains committed to working hand in hand with the Homeland Security Task Force to dismantle violent criminal and drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities and spread fear. Our officers are an essential part of these joint efforts with our federal partners, and we recognize the dedication and courage of those who carry out this critical mission every day.
Federal law enforcement activity has persisted in the Caribbean, Central and South America, throughout President Donald Trump’s second term. Since September 2025, the US has executed dozens of air strikes on boats engaged in suspected drug transportation, killing hundreds. International organizations have condemned the military actions as “extrajudicial executions.”
President Trump’s administration has relied on the threat of drugs entering the US as a rationale to execute multiple executive actions, including the creation of a tariff scheme on US imports and continued immigration crackdowns. In January, the US engaged in a Venezuela military operation that resulted in the capture of then-President Nicolas Maduro, justified in part by allegations that Maduro was tied to international drug trafficking. Administration officials have often characterized such drug-related activity as “terror-related” or “narco-terrorism.”
If found guilty of gun and drug charges, defendants face between 15-years to life in prison.
