A Mexican drug operation that began unraveling after a small-town car accident in Tennessee has led to U.S. Justice Department indictments against five cartel figures — including the top leader of the United Cartels — and multimillion-dollar rewards for their capture.
Federal authorities say the case exposes how methamphetamine produced in violent Mexican cartel labs makes its way into American communities, leaving violence in its wake.
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From Tennessee Car Crash to International Cartel Links
The investigation began in 2019 when two drug dealers crashed near Rockwood, Tennessee, and tried to flee. Authorities recovered a hardened case filled with methamphetamine, sparking a multi-year probe involving wiretaps, search warrants, and surveillance.
Investigators traced the drugs to Eladio Mendoza, a major Atlanta-area dealer. Surveillance later led police to a Doritos bag filled with meth and heroin and a violent encounter in which a suspect fired an AK-style rifle at officers before being shot.
