Minnesota Authorities Seize Nearly 1,000 Pounds Meth Minneapolis

Law enforcement in Minneapolis seized nearly 960 pounds of methamphetamine in a major bust involving two men, Guillermo Mercado Chaparro of Chicago and Joel Casas-Santiago of Minneapolis, who face first-degree drug trafficking charges. The seizure, described by authorities as possibly the largest meth bust in Minnesota history, was the result of a coordinated investigation involving the St. Paul Police Department, Ramsey County Violent Crime Enforcement Team, federal agents, and the FBI. The investigation followed a prior discovery of 900 pounds of meth in a Burnsville storage unit and included surveillance, an undercover purchase, and GPS tracking. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino praised the operation on social media, emphasizing the effort to dismantle drug trafficking rings linked to Mexican cartels using Minnesota as a regional hub. Authorities highlighted the significant threat such large quantities of meth pose to the community and the criminal organizations they fund. Both suspects remain jailed awaiting further court proceedings.