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Date: Sept. 23, 2026
Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov
Charlotte, NC – Two illegal aliens from Mexico with alleged ties to a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) have been indicted after an investigation by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) led to the seizure of nearly 60 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Martin Eduardo Hernandez Nunez and Juan Carlos Mojarro Sanchez are charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine; distribution of crystal methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl; and possession with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine.
“We are laser focused on identifying transnational criminal organizations and their operatives who smuggle deadly drugs into our communities, fueling addiction and violence,” said U.S Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We are going after these organizations at every level to stop their drugs from reaching our streets.”
“Drug trafficking organizations don’t care who they hurt. They push dangerous drugs into our neighborhoods, fuel crime, and put lives at risk,” said Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Carolinas. “In this case, the Homeland Security Task Force took nearly 60 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, a gun, and alleged drug money out of circulation. HSI and our partners will keep going after these networks and the people who bring this poison into North Carolina.”
According to allegations in charging documents, Hernandez Nunez and Mojarro Sanchez had ties to a Mexico-based transnational criminal organization responsible for distributing significant quantities of methamphetamine in the Charlotte area. In May 2026, investigators recovered from the defendants’ residence nearly 30 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine and two kilograms of fentanyl, and an additional four kilograms of crystal methamphetamine through controlled drug buys with the defendants. Investigators also seized from the residence a firearm, vacuum sealers, a money counter, drug ledgers, digital scales, and a large kilo press commonly used for repackaging narcotics. Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at a storage unit used by the defendants, seizing an additional 30 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. Investigators also seized more than $66,000 in alleged drug proceeds over the course of the investigation.
Hernandez Nunez and Mojarro Sanchez are in federal custody. If convicted, they face a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any imposed sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges against the defendants are allegations, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from HSI; FBI; DEA; ATF; IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); U.S. Marshals Service (USMS); U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID); the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS); the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG); the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security; the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)’s OIG; the North Carolina Insurance Bureau; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED); North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI); the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS); Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU); South Carolina Department of Corrections; police departments from jurisdictions in North and South Carolina: Anderson City, Cary, Charleston County Airport, Charleston, Charlotte-Mecklenburg (CMPD), Cornelius, Eden, Gastonia, Greensboro, Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport, Huntersville, Kannapolis, Kings Mountain, Matthews, Nags Head, Piedmont Triad Internal Airport, Pineville, Raleigh, Stallings, Summerville, Waxhaw, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem; and sheriff’s offices from counties in North and South Carolina: Alamance, Alexander, Berkeley, Brunswick, Cabarrus, Chatham, Cherokee, Clarendon, Craven, Currituck, Dare, Davie, Durham, Florence, Forsyth, Gaston, Greenville, Halifax, Iredell, Lee, Nash, New Hanover, Oconee, Richmond, Rowan, Sampson, Spartanburg, and Wake.
Prosecution is being led by the Offices of the U.S. Attorneys for the Districts of North and South Carolina.
IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 16 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.