31 Indicted in South Carolina Cartel-Linked Trafficking Case
Federal and state authorities announced charges against 31 people in a narcotics trafficking case allegedly linked to Mexican cartels. The case remains undecided.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 24, 2026, 3:01 p.m. ET
On August 24, 2026, authorities announced indictments against 31 people in South Carolina in connection with an alleged large-scale drug trafficking operation, according to reports from wrdw.com and wmbfnews.com. The matter is at the charging stage and has not been resolved; the defendants have not been tried or convicted.
The charges include trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana, as well as firearm offenses and other counts. The government alleges the defendants were involved in large-scale trafficking of narcotics predominantly to the Charleston area, with associations to cartels and gangs including Piru Bloods, 18th Street, Tren de Aragua, Rolling 20’s Crips, and two designated Foreign Terrorist Organization Mexican drug cartels: Los Zetas/Cartel de Noreste (Z/CDN), and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), according to wrdw.com. Wmbfnews.com reported a similar allegation but did not mention the designation of the cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Earlier reports
Aug 24, 2026, 3:01 p.m. ETFirst report
31 Indicted in South Carolina Cartel-Linked Trafficking Case
On August 24, 2026, South Carolina Attorney General's office, along with Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, announced indictments against 31 defendants in a large-scale drug trafficking operation, according to reports from wrdw.com and wmbfnews.com.
The charges include trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine, as well as firearm offenses, possession of marijuana, and prostitution-related charges. The defendants face a range of counts, including multiple counts of trafficking cocaine and possession of a firearm during a violent crime.
The government alleges the defendants were involved in trafficking narcotics predominantly to the Charleston area, with associations to gangs and cartels including Piru Bloods, 18th Street, Tren de Aragua, Rolling 20's Crips, and two Mexican cartels: Los Zetas/Cartel de Noreste and Jalisco New Generation Cartel, as reported by wrdw.com. A similar account from wmbfnews.com lists the same groups but omits the designation of the two cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The defendants are charged and presumed innocent until proven guilty. The investigation is ongoing, and the cause of the alleged trafficking has not been determined.
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Revision history
- Version 124 Aug 2026, 19:01current
First published.
- Version 124 Aug 2026, 19:05current
First published.
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