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Operation Hydra - large-scale cartel drug trafficking bust

Multiple law enforcement actions referred to as "Operation Hydra" have been executed, including a recent large-scale bust involving the Sinaloa Cartel in September 2025. While this national operation involved drug trafficking into Washington state, other operations with similar names have focused directly on the Seattle area. 

September 2025: National 'Operation Hydra' targets Sinaloa Cartel
Federal agents seized precursors for manufacturing hundreds of thousands of pounds of methamphetamine during "Operation Hydra". 
Target: This Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operation was aimed at disrupting the Sinaloa Cartel's supply chain by seizing chemical shipments from China bound for Mexico.
Outcome: Officials stated the bust dealt a "decisive blow" to the cartel, with seizures of precursors that could have been used to produce nearly 420,000 pounds of meth, worth an estimated $569 million.
Seattle connection: While the seizures were made on the high seas, the announcement from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) indicated the operation's goal was to prevent these drugs from reaching American streets. This follows several other recent drug busts in the Seattle area with connections to Mexican cartels. 
https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ef0aae96-445c-4532-9aff-91abbe1483e3.html
https://www.tvazteca.com/aztecanoticias/operacion-hydra-eu-intercepta-316-toneladas-precursores-para-metanfetamina-del

February 2025: HSI Seattle leads violent drug gang bust
A multi-agency investigation led by HSI Seattle, also named "Operation Hydra," resulted in the indictment of twelve individuals linked to a violent drug trafficking gang. 
Target: The operation dismantled a drug ring distributing fentanyl and firearms in the Seattle area.
Collaborators: HSI worked with the Seattle Police Department, the FBI, the DEA, and the IRS on the bust, which was part of a larger Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.