17 People Allegedly Linked to Cartel Indicted, Accused of Stealing Nearly 200 Cars

Seventeen people allegedly linked to a drug cartel were indicted by a Denver grand jury on Monday and accused of being involved in stealing nearly 200 cars and trading them to drug cartel members.

In a press release from the Denver District Attorney’s Office, it was revealed that the 17 people allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel had reportedly stolen “at least 190 vehicles” between September 2022 and February 2024. The vehicles that were stolen were apparently “high-end pick-up trucks.”

The Denver District Attorney’s Office noted that the defendants allegedly “coordinated the transportation of the stolen vehicles to Mexico.” Once in Mexico, the vehicles were traded to members of drug cartels “in exchange for cocaine and methamphetamine that was then imported” into the United States.

“These indictments should send the message that people who steal cars in Denver will be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said in a statement. “The number of stolen cars in Denver has decreased dramatically over the past two years thanks, in large part, to the incredible work of the law enforcement community.”

The indictment against the individuals “contains 222 charges, including numerous violations of the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act,” as well over “one hundred counts of auto theft” and “more than a dozen counts of drug possession and distribution,” according to the press release.

David Olesky, who works with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confirmed that the 17 people involved in the car theft ring were “linked to the Sinaloa cartel,” according to KDVR News.

Many of the cars that were stolen were reportedly taken from Denver International Airport, according to the indictment, the outlet reported.