🦅⛓️ 43 Days, 91 Metric Tons: Inside the Nationwide “September Surge”

Federal authorities say a six-week operation known as the “September Surge” marked a significant shift in strategy against major trafficking networks operating in the United States. Rather than concentrating on street-level distribution, the coordinated campaign focused on the structural backbone of cartel logistics and communication systems.

Led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the effort unfolded over 43 consecutive days and involved approximately 400 synchronized enforcement actions nationwide. Officials report that 91 metric tons of narcotics were seized during the operation — a volume authorities describe as unprecedented in scale.

More than 1,000 individuals identified as high-value or priority targets were apprehended or disrupted, including logistics coordinators and operational figures allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. According to officials, the compressed timeframe was designed to prevent networks from quickly adapting or rerouting supply chains.

Authorities characterize the surge as the opening phase of a broader, long-term strategy aimed at destabilizing transnational distribution systems rather than pursuing incremental enforcement actions. Investigators indicate that intelligence gathered during the operation may support additional actions in the months ahead.

While detailed inventories and case specifics remain under review, officials emphasize that the coordinated effort reflects a strategic recalibration intended to disrupt trafficking infrastructure at its operational core rather than its visible edges.