Edition O'002

Drug News Roundup

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 · 4 stories

Covering reporting published in the past 24 hours (Aug 24–25). Several items were announced on Aug 24 for operations carried out earlier in the month; incident dates are noted.

In this edition

  1. National / Federal (US)1
  2. Local US Arrests2
  3. South America1
  4. Rest of World0
  5. Ongoing Stories with New Developments0
  6. Running Tally

1National / Federal (US)

"Operation Last Stand" — 31 charged across a Charleston-area cartel supply network

Hundreds of kg · 33 firearmsCharleston area, South Carolina31 charged, 59 counts

South Carolina's Attorney General announced five indictments naming 31 defendants on 59 charges, capping a multi-year investigation that began with a February 2026 nightclub raid. Authorities describe hundreds of kilos of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl moved from cartel sources through Texas, Georgia and Florida into the greater Charleston area, along with 33 firearms including multiple machine guns. SLED and Homeland Security Investigations worked the case with six county sheriff's offices.

SourceFITSNews

2Local US Arrests

44 lbs of crystal meth intercepted in a controlled delivery in Logan County, Kentucky

44 lb methamphetamine ($1M+)Logan County, Kentucky2 arrested

The South-Central Kentucky Drug Task Force arrested two people in a traffic stop after they collected a package delivered under a controlled operation bound for Sharon Grove. Officers recovered 44 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, valued by investigators at more than $1 million. Homeland Security Investigations, an aviation unit and the Kentucky State Police interdiction team assisted; the operation ran on August 19 and was announced August 24.

SourceWBKO

Brenham, Texas traffic stop yields 18 kg of methamphetamine

18 kg methamphetamineBrenham, Texas3 charged

Brenham police recovered roughly 40 pounds of methamphetamine and 7 grams of cocaine during a traffic stop on West Main Street. Three men from Hutto, Austin and Manor face felony manufacture-or-delivery charges. The stop took place August 14 and was reported August 24.

SourceKBTX

3South America

Colombia — semi-submersible network running to the US dismantled with DEA help

Cali and Tumaco, Colombia5 captured

Simultaneous raids in Cali and Tumaco captured five members of a structure led by Jairo Alberto Núñez Palacios, alias "El Indio," which authorities say had moved cocaine by semi-submersible and speedboat from Colombia's Pacific coast for roughly a decade. Investigators seized 430 million Colombian pesos in cash along with phones and GPS trackers. The Fiscalía, the Colombian Navy and the DEA worked the case jointly; all five face extradition requests from the Middle District of Florida. Operation carried out August 19, reported August 24.

SourceInfobae

4Rest of World

Nothing significant in the past 24 hours.

5Ongoing Stories with New Developments

Nothing significant in the past 24 hours.

2026 Running Tally

Total weight intercepted across every story covered so far this year, through Aug 25, 2026. Counts seizures only — sentencings and indictments are not double-counted — and resets to zero each 1 January. Earlier years are kept below.

15.2 t 2 editions · 8 places · 6 substances

United States

Texas2 substances778 kg
  • methamphetamine778 kg
  • cocaine7 g
Kentucky1 substance20 kg
  • methamphetamine20 kg
New York3 substances14 kg
  • cocaine10 kg
  • fentanyl4 kg
  • fentanyl/heroin250 g
West Virginia3 substances4.8 kg
  • methamphetamine3.6 kg
  • fentanyl907 g
  • cocaine227 g

International

Spain1 substance6.0 t
  • hashish6.0 t
Colombia2 substances4.8 t
  • cocaine4.5 t
  • coca base300 kg
Indonesia1 substance2.6 t
  • methamphetamine2.6 t
Ecuador1 substance1.0 t
  • cocaine1.0 t

Previous years

2025 12.5 t 1 edition · 5 places

United States

Arizona2 substances847 kg
  • methamphetamine752 kg
  • fentanyl94 kg

International

Colombia1 substance8.7 t
  • cocaine8.7 t
Ecuador1 substance2.5 t
  • cocaine2.5 t
Netherlands1 substance428 kg
  • cocaine428 kg
Malaysia4 substances4.1 kg
  • heroin2.3 kg
  • cannabis1.1 kg
  • ketamine590 g
  • mdma170 g

All time 27.7 t