Federal authorities charge 81 in Puerto Rico gang takedown
Federal prosecutors announced charges Thursday, August 27, 2026, against 81 alleged members of Los Baja Deo, a drug-trafficking organization they say operated for years in western Puerto Rico. Authorities said 70 of the defendants were arrested Wednesday, August 26, in a coordinated takedown led by the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department.
The case has national public-safety relevance because federal authorities allege the organization sent controlled substances to the continental United States through the U.S. Postal Service. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, and the operation involved federal, territorial and local agencies working through a Homeland Security Task Force investigation.
What prosecutors allege
The indictment identifies the organization as Los Baja Deo, also known as LBD, and alleges that it distributed heroin, fentanyl, cocaine base, cocaine and marijuana beginning in 2021. Prosecutors estimate that the organization was responsible for at least 340 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics and at least 2,200 kilograms of cocaine during the alleged conspiracy.
Federal officials also allege that the operation generated more than $49 million in proceeds and involved the trafficking of firearms and ammunition. Authorities said they seized 21 firearms during the investigation.
The indictment further alleges that members used shootings, kidnappings and murders to protect the organization and respond to perceived threats. Those descriptions are allegations in the federal case, not findings established by a court.
How the takedown was organized
The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department’s Mayagüez Strike Force led the investigation and arrests. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service also participated.
Other agencies involved in the arrests included the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection, the Puerto Rico National Guard and additional Puerto Rico and municipal police units, according to the Justice Department and DEA.
The operation was carried out under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, which the Justice Department describes as a whole-of-government partnership targeting criminal cartels, foreign gangs and transnational criminal organizations operating in the United States and abroad. The Puerto Rico case illustrates the initiative’s emphasis on combining drug, firearms and violent-crime investigations.
What the charges mean
The defendants have been charged, not convicted. The Justice Department said an indictment is an allegation and that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to the department, defendants convicted on the drug charges could face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. Defendants convicted of both the drug and firearms charges identified in count seven could face a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison. The case also includes a narcotics-forfeiture allegation involving more than $49.7 million.
What happens next
The next stages will include initial appearances, detention decisions and further proceedings in federal court. Authorities’ announcement said 70 of the 81 defendants were arrested; the status of the remaining defendants should be confirmed through court records and later federal updates.
Additional filings may provide more detail about the alleged supply chain, firearms claims, organization structure and alleged shipments to the continental United States. Any further arrests, plea agreements or changes to the charges will also shape the case.
Sources
Look for updates to this story
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