The Minneapolis metropolitan area became the epicenter of what the authorities term one of the largest methamphetamine raids in the history of the state of Minnesota. Law enforcement agents nabbed near 900 pounds of potential meth, worth $1.7 million on the street, from two vehicles in south Minneapolis. The raid, emanating from a collaboration of local police officers, regional sheriffs, and the feds, revealed the Mexico cartel-related alleged pipeline, sending deep ripples in the Twin Cities and beyond.
The bust began with a calculated move on July 2, when an undercover officer purchased one pound of methamphetamine from Guillermo Mercado Chaparro, a 44-year-old Chicago resident. Authorities procured a court warrant to affix to Chaparro’s Toyota Tacoma a GPS tracking device and track his activities. On July 7, cops observed him stuffing two heavy sacks in the back of a Jeep being chauffeured by Joel Casas-Santiago, 46, of Minneapolis, at 31st Street and Cedar Avenue.
Police moved swiftly, stopping both vehicles. A search of the Jeep revealed 251 pounds of suspected meth, while the Tacoma yielded 638 pounds, along with a drug ledger detailing transactions. The total haul 889 to 960 pounds, depending on agency estimates marked a historic seizure.
“The amount of illicit drugs recovered in this case is staggering,”
said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.
“These drugs were on our streets in huge quantities and nearly made it into the hands of our neighbors who struggle with drug use.”
Chaparro faces two counts of first-degree meth sale, while Casas-Santiago faces one count. Both are held in Hennepin County Jail on $2 million bail, with court appearances scheduled for July 30 (Casas-Santiago) and August 1. The charges carry a minimum 65-month prison sentence under Minnesota law. During a post-arrest interview, Chaparro admitted to involvement in drug trafficking, according to court documents.
The operation was a collaborative effort between the St. Paul Police Department, Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team, FBI, DEA, and Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino praised the bust on X, stating,
“900 pounds of meth seized during two traffic stops in Minnesota yesterday, in a hit targeting drug trafficking rings you’ll hear about soon. We’re finding them and crushing their operations.”
Investigators believe both suspects are tied to Mexican drug organizations, potentially the Sinaloa or Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). This bust follows a pattern of large-scale meth trafficking in the Upper Midwest, with Minnesota serving as a hub. Just weeks earlier, authorities seized 900 pounds of meth hidden in metal spools in Burnsville, part of the same federal investigation into transnational drug networks.
“The damage 900 pounds of methamphetamine could have caused is devastating, all while funding drug sale organizations that prey on our community,”
Moriarty warned.
The seizure underscores Minnesota’s escalating meth problem. The state has seen a 142% increase in meth seizures in recent years, with the drug now surpassing opioids in volume. Nationally, the DEA reports a 22% rise in illicit drug confiscations, including over 7,000 pounds of meth this year alone.
But the bust reinvigorates the controversy about how the United States approaches drug policy. While enforcement disrupts trafficking corridors, some experts, citing Pew research, assert punishment in a vacuum doesn’t reduce drug use or overdoses. Harm reduction efforts, including treatment programs, continue to be contentious but are becoming more mainstream. For now, the community grapples with the near-miss of a massive influx of meth.
“These drugs were destined for local distribution, posing a serious threat to public health,”
said a Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.
Ongoing efforts attempt to hinder the crime organizations behind the crisis, but the magnitude of the problem evidenced by back-to-back 900-pound seizures bodes for the long haul.
