900 Pounds Of Meth Found In Minneapolis; Accused Traffickers Linked To Mexican Cartels

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — About 900 pounds of methamphetamine were seized in South Minneapolis during a recent drug bust, and two men are now facing felony charges, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Officials estimate the street value of the meth at $1.7 million.

Guillermo Mercado Chaparro, 44, is charged with two counts of first-degree drug sales. Joel Casas-Santiago, 46, is charged with one count of first-degree drug sales. Each charge carries a statutory minimum sentence of 65 months in prison, or more than five years.

Both men remain in custody.

Chaparro is being held at the Hennepin County Jail on $2 million bail without conditions, or $1.5 million with conditions. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 1.

Casas-Santiago is being held under the same bail conditions. His next court appearance is set for July 30.

Prosecutors said neither man has ties to the Twin Cities and both are believed to be connected to major drug cartels in Mexico.

"The amount of illicit drugs recovered in this case is staggering," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. "These drugs were on our streets in huge quantities and nearly made it into the hands of our neighbors who struggle with drug use. The damage 900 pounds of methamphetamine could have caused is devastating, all while funding drug sale organizations that prey on our community. We will work to hold these two individuals accountable to protect our community."

On July 2, undercover officers purchased one pound of meth from Chaparro, who was driving a Toyota Tacoma, according to court documents. After the sale, police saw Chaparro make additional suspected drug transactions and obtained a court order to place a GPS tracker on the truck, the criminal complaint states.

On July 7, officers saw Chaparro load two large bags into a Jeep before getting back into the Tacoma. Casas-Santiago got into the Jeep, and both vehicles left the area, authorities said.

Officers later found both men inside the Jeep near 31st Street and Cedar Avenue. A drug-sniffing dog alerted police to the presence of narcotics, and investigators found 251 pounds of meth inside, according to the criminal complaint.

Chaparro was still carrying the Tacoma’s keys. Officers searched the truck and found another 638 pounds of methamphetamine, along with a suspected drug ledger and a prescription pill bottle bearing Chaparro’s name.

In a post-Miranda statement, Chaparro admitted to being involved in drug trafficking, police said.