Federal agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration announced Wednesday that 27 individuals were arrested in Franklin, New Hampshire, as part of a major narcotics operation that seized fentanyl and methamphetamine linked to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel.
Investigators traced the drugs’ supply chain back to Lawrence, Massachusetts, a city long recognized as a fentanyl hub for New England.
“Twenty-seven people in Franklin, New Hampshire have just been arrested!” the DEA’s New England office wrote on X. “Fentanyl and methamphetamine sourced from Lawrence, Massachusetts have been seized. The drugs are directly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. The investigation continues.”
Authorities said the operation focused on cartel-backed networks driving the region’s fentanyl crisis. Photos released by DEA New England showed suspects in handcuffs outside a residence and stacks of seized cash.
The Sinaloa cartel has long dominated fentanyl trafficking into the U.S., federal officials note, and Lawrence has repeatedly been identified as a critical distribution point. Fentanyl continues to be the leading cause of overdose deaths nationwide, with CDC data reporting more than 70,000 fatalities annually.
DEA officials emphasized that the Franklin investigation is ongoing, and additional arrests are possible.
