In a world where drug money moves faster than authorities can track, one man thought he could stay ahead of the game.

But this week, justice caught up with Jose Manuel Martinez Gomez, a 52-year-old from Guadalajara, Mexico — known in criminal circles as “Meno.”

Martinez was just sentenced to eight years and four months in federal prison, along with three years of supervised release, for playing a key role in a sophisticated money laundering operation stretching across the U.S. and back to Mexico.

The Middleman Behind the Millions

According to court documents, Martinez wasn’t your average dealer or street-level player.

He acted as a “money broker,” a critical role in an international network that helped drug traffickers clean and move their dirty cash.

He brokered contracts to launder around $5.5 million in drug money, coordinating a team that collected drug profits from all over the U.S.

Then, using cryptocurrency, he arranged for that money — or its digital equivalent — to be transferred back to Mexico. Of course, he took a cut for himself as payment for his services.

What Authorities Seized in the Wake of His Deals

But Martinez’s downfall didn’t come without some serious victories for law enforcement.

Thanks to the deals he helped orchestrate, the DEA Lexington Field Office and its partners were able to seize massive amounts of drugs and cash.

Among the confiscated items:

3 kilograms of fentanyl
Over 52 kilograms of cocaine
More than 7,000 kilograms of raw methamphetamine in the form of charcoal lumps
170 gallons of meth in coconut oil
140 kilograms of processed methamphetamine
15 gallons of liquid meth
And a whopping $1.35 million in U.S. cash

It’s clear the operation wasn’t just about moving money — it was also deeply tied to high-level drug trafficking with potentially deadly consequences.

A Nationwide (and International) Team Effort

This case wasn’t cracked by just one DEA office.

It took a nationwide team — including agents from the Detroit Field Division, Rocky Mountain Field Division, and even DEA offices in Mexico.

They also had help from field offices in cities including Minneapolis, Tulsa, Chicago, Louisville, Baltimore, Des Moines, Portland, and more.

The IRS Criminal Investigation Division also played a key role in tracking financial transactions and building the case.

Prosecutors and Agents Push for Accountability

On the legal side, the case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Elizabeth R. Rabe from the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, along with Deputy Criminal Chief Gary Todd Bradbury from the Eastern District of Kentucky.

Their message? People who think they can help criminal organizations funnel and hide their money — especially using modern tools like crypto — are still very much within the reach of U.S. law enforcement.

Another Warning Shot in the Fight Against Drug Money

Martinez’s sentence isn’t just about punishment — it’s a warning to anyone thinking of stepping into the money laundering game.

Drug money is still moving in massive amounts across borders, but as this case shows, the system designed to catch and stop it is getting smarter, more coordinated, and more aggressive.

The days of quiet crypto laundering may be coming to an end.