Federal and local law enforcement arrested 13 people and charged 17 in a fentanyl trafficking takedown across San Diego County on Thursday, Sept. 3.

More than 200 officers from five agencies carried out the operation, which capped a nearly year-long investigation into a San Diego-based organization allegedly distributing large quantities of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California. Two federal complaints were unsealed in connection with the charges.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Office Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) opened the investigation in November 2025, according to a Sheriff's Office news release. Deputies worked alongside HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the San Diego Police Department during the operation.

Thirteen of the 17 defendants were arrested during the takedown, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. The office has not announced arraignment dates or provided details on the remaining defendants.

The operation spanned San Diego County, though the Sheriff's Office did not identify specific arrest locations.

San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez called the takedown part of her office's broader push against fentanyl trafficking.

"As the Sheriff, I stand committed to working with local, state, and federal law enforcement to keep our communities safe from the dangers of illicit fentanyl and other dangerous drugs," Martinez said.

The strategy matters. Since taking office in 2022, Martinez has pursued a three-pronged approach combining enforcement to dismantle trafficking networks, harm reduction through naloxone distribution and education programs aimed at families and communities. The Sheriff's Office said in its release that the approach has contributed to a significant decline in fentanyl-related deaths locally and nationally, though it did not cite specific figures.

The Sheriff's Office took the additional step of explicitly stating the narcotics operation "was not related to any federal immigration enforcement efforts." The office said it remains in full compliance with California's Senate Bill 54 (SB 54), which limits local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

Residents with questions about any Sheriff's Office operation can call the non-emergency line at (858) 868-3200.