Five people have been indicted in the Western District of Tennessee for their involvement in an organized drug trafficking scheme.
According to court documents, Juan Palomino of Selmer, Joaquin Elizalde of Selmer, Javier Varela of Byhalia, Luis Lizarraga of Memphis, and David Asua of Memphis worked together to distribute fentanyl, meth, and marijuana between March 2023 and March 2025.
A two year investigation revealed the traffickers were linked to the Sinaloa cartel based in Mexico. During the investigation, agents seized 10 kilos of cocaine, over 16 pounds of meth, 30,000 fentanyl pills, and 40 pounds of marijuana.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
